AloneTogether
by Midii Une
Summary: Midii's return from a dark place in Trowa's past is the catalyst for romance and a new threat to peace. With 2xHS, 4xDC, 1xRP
1. Alone/Together: Prologue

Author's Note: Well, while the bandwagon of Trowa/Midii romance gets rolling I'll just hop back on with the prologue of my new epic while the topic is hot! May be awhile till my next one because I'm going on vacation at the end of the week, but much more to come! And yes, I'm still working on Love is a Battlefield! Don't worry Duo, Treize and Quatre fans, I still love them.  
  
  
  
Alone/Together  
  
a 12 x 3 romance epic  
  
by Midii Une  
  
  
"You've got this way of making your lies feel true. . ."  
from When I'm Holding You Tight, Michael Stanley Band  
  
Prologue  
  
  
"I won't do that! How can you even ask me such a thing? I don't steal from people worse off than myself," the girl said, her wideset blue-gray eyes shining angrily at her companion. She was far from innocent but there were still some crimes she shrank from committing and, after all, there were very few people that were worse off than she was.  
  
"Great! That's just great! What a time to develop a conscience," her boyfriend yelled. "We don't work, we don't get paid. You're such a pain in the ass. What good are you if you won't do the job? Just get the hell out of my life."  
  
She grabbed at his arm as he turned to walk away from her. "Adrian, no, wait. Please listen. We'll do something else. Don't leave. You're all I have," she pleaded. He looked at her with cold eyes. She was pretty with her tarnished gold hair and big eyes. Eyes that made her look sweet and innocent, the perfect foil for his criminal schemes. But he was tired of her bullshit, tired of her waifish charm and she was getting to be more trouble than she was worth. She wasn't really his type and there were plenty of other desperate girls. Girls who weren't troubled with her occasional attacks of scruples.  
  
"Go to hell Midii," he said softly and pushing her aside, walked away.  
  
From Cathrine's vantage point it looked like the young couple she saw arguing were having a typical lover's spat. She was a caring, motherly person and hated to see anyone unhappy or troubled. The young circus performer crossed the street to speak to the girl who was standing forlornly, shivering on the corner with tears brightening her eyes. She must be about 18 years old, Cathrine guessed. Around the same age as Trowa, the boy she considered a younger brother. He had once been as alone and unhappy as this poor girl, she thought.   
  
"Excuse me," she said gently. "You look like you could use a friend. Can I buy you something to eat. You look like this wind might blow you away."  
  
Midii glanced at the girl. She had gentle violet eyes and reddish-brown hair that tumbled in curls about her sweet face. She's asking for trouble, getting involved with someone like me, she thought. She was grateful for the offer but she had no business taking favors from nice people. She didn't deserve any breaks, she never had. She wasn't worth it. She shook her head briefly and started to walk away.  
  
"Wait, please," Cathrine called out. The girl paused and Cathrine handed her a slip of paper with her name and phone number on it. Something about the girl's bereft face and seeming lack of hope touched her deeply. "Please call me if you need someone. I'd be happy to help, just to talk to you if you need it."  
  
One tear slipped down Midii's face. "Thank you," she whispered and crammed the slip of paper into her pocket and walked away.  
  
Cathrine sighed. That poor girl would never call her she knew. She wished people would be more willing to accept help. Why else did they exist in this world, if it wasn't to help each other?  
  
*****  
  
Trowa listened to Cathrine's story as he lifted weights. He had to keep up his upper body strength to keep his performances up to par. Besides, despite the success of the Unified Earth Nation he was always afraid he'd be needed to fight again, he always needed to be ready. He frowned when Cathrine said she'd given that girl their phone number. She was too trusting and open and friendly. One of these days she was going to get hurt. And she was the one person in this world he loved.  
  
"Don't look at me like that Trowa," Cathrine scolded, understanding him perfectly as always and bending over the weight bench to hug him, ignoring the light sheen of sweat that glistened on his muscles. "I know people and that girl may have problems but deep down I know she has a good heart. She needed a friend. I only wish she would have let me help her."  
  
Trowa accepted her hug without comment. He was never so certain about people. He could not be like Cathrine and trust people on such short acquaintance. It took much more than an abstract feeling like intuition to convince Trowa Barton of anything.  
  
*****  
  
A man wearing dark glasses and non-descript clothing walked the streets of the city with a tattered photograph in his hand. He wondered if it was worth it, looking for a girl who probably didn't even exist anymore. But she had been damn good at what she did. That sad little face that tore at your heart and big, innocent eyes. The perfect face for a spy. He'd lost track of her over the years, but he could use her on this operation and he bet she needed the work. He had heard a rumor she was here on this backwater colony, wasting her talents as a small-time criminal. That was the kind of thing peacetime reduced professional spies to after all. Oh yes, she would definitely be glad to see him.  
  
Finally one man's eyes lit up with recognition at the sight of the photograph. "Yeah, I know her. What's in it for me?" He grinned at the appearance of a lead and waved a handful of bills at the guy. "Spill it. Where is she," he prodded.  
The younger man frowned. "I don't know now. She used to work with this guy Adrian but he dumped her not to long ago. Said she was too soft or something like that."  
  
He scowled. Yes, it was true at times. Midii Une did have a tendency to go soft, sometimes at the worst of times. But overall she was coldly professional and that little touch of softness had added something to her credibility. People couldn't resist it.  
  
*****  
  
That young woman she'd met on the street corner shouldn't have bothered worrying about her, Midii thought as she lowered herself into a steaming bubble bath in a luxurious hotel room. She sighed and sipped a glass of wine. She knew only too well how to take care of herself. A few taps into the hotel's database, locate and break into a vacant room, steal a bottle of wine from some rich room service guest and there you have it. It had been awhile since she'd pampered herself like this. She had kept most of her questionable talents hidden from Adrian, lowered herself to his level, so to speak. Only staying with him because he was handsome and had seemed to like her. And he had had green eyes. She was always drawn to green eyes. She didn't like being alone and did almost anything to avoid it.  
  
Three years since peace had come and still she hadn't changed to meet the new times. Maybe she couldn't change. She was still trapped in a cycle she'd been caught up in since she was a child. She laughed a little bitterly. She had never been a child. Never.  
  
To be continued . . .  
  
  



	2. Alone/Together: Chapter 1

Sorry! During the chapter switcheroo thingie I accidentally deleted this chapter and had to repost it!!  
  
Author's Note: It's been awhile but there is a prologue to this story so make sure you've read Alone/Together: Prologue  
first! If you like Midii and Trowa as a couple, come visit my website where I have an archive of Midii/Trowa romance  
written by myself and other authors http://midiiune.tripod.com/MidiiUne/index.html   
If you've written a Midii/Trowa fic and I've missed it let me know and I'll post it on my site.  
Okay, enough commercials!! On with the fic . . .  
  
  
Alone/Together  
  
Chapter One  
  
By Midii Une  
  
Midii brushed out her shining, dark gold hair and pinned it up in a French twist, pulling out two strands of hair and  
shaping them into curls on her cheekbones. Carefully she applied smoky gray eyeshadow to her lids and an abundance  
of black mascara to darken her light eyelashes and she added some eyeliner to make herself look exotic. She pouted at  
herself in the mirror and put on her deep red lipstick.  
  
"Ahh, you are parfaitment, mademoiselle," she told herself, blowing a little kiss at the mirror. If Adrian saw her now he'd  
never recognize her she thought. Then she shrugged, he was gone from her life and so much the better. She smoothed  
down the tightfitting, blue-gray silk dress that matched her eyes.   
  
Midii needed a job and with her sophisticated look and the added touch of a French accent she was sure that no one  
else stood a chance of getting hired as the makeup artist (artiste, she amended mentally) at the upscale salon in the  
city. After all she knew more about makeup than any magazine cover girl. Knew all its ins and outs and how with just a  
touch here or there she could change her entire identity. Her lack of credentials would be but a minor detail.  
  
Or so she thought.  
  
"We'd just adore to have you, Mademoiselle Une. But it is our policy, you must have one personal reference," the salon  
owner said.  
  
Midii bit her lip softly in consternation and thought quickly. She needed a reference and she needed one now. She  
wanted this job. It was time to try again, to try and start a real life as she'd always meant to do. Suddenly she  
brightened and reached into her small satin purse and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper.  
  
"Mais oui," she said, smiling brightly. "I understand. Please don't hesitate to call my dear friend -- she glanced  
unobtrusively at the paper -- Cathrine. Yes, Cathrine Bloom. Here is her number. I can start Monday, then?"  
  
"Of course. I know our patrons will simply adore you Mademoiselle Une. I will contact Miss Bloom sometime tomorrow,"  
the man said, shaking her hand enthusiastically. The girl was so elegant and sophisticated that he knew she would be in  
demand and her knowledge of cosmetics had been incredible.  
  
He couldn't believe his luck that someone like Midii Une had shown up for the interview.  
  
*****  
  
"Damn, damn, damn," Midii cursed, as she dropped her smile and nearly stalked out of the salon. "I have to contact that  
girl, Cathrine."  
  
So far the real world was turning out to be a lot like the world of espionage and double-dealing that she was trying to  
leave behind. Must she always be scrambling to cover her tracks following every lie? Still, it shouldn't be too difficult to  
gain this Cathrine Bloom's sympathy. She had practically begged her to give her a call sometime. Midii glanced at her  
reflection in the salon window and a truck driver whistled at her as he passed. First she'd have to change her image  
again, she thought, she certainly didn't appear to be a sympathetic figure at the moment. Unless of course this Cathrine  
had a handsome brother . . .  
  
*****  
  
Cathrine looked at the girl in the cafe with sympathetic eyes, she was so glad that she had called. She had stuck in her  
mind. The younger girl reminded her of Trowa so much, she seemed so hopeless and friendless. Just like Trowa had  
been when she first met him during the war.  
  
Midii had decided to be semi-truthful with Cathrine. She really was very nice and Midii found herself genuinely liking her.  
What would it be like to actually have a friend, she wondered wistfully. Someone to have coffee with, to talk about  
boyfriends with. Someone to watch sad movies with and cry together? Cathrine seemed like she would be that kind of  
person and since she was a little older than herself, Midii felt comfortable with her. Most girls her own age were far too  
immature to make a suitable companion for someone who had lived through as much as she had. But Cathrine seemed  
different.  
  
"You see, I'm new here on this colony. I came with my boyfriend, the one you saw me with that day," Midii explained,  
deciding to let a tear or two slip down her cheek at the mention of Adrian, the story would be more effective that way.  
She had changed into a grimy sweatshirt and a pair of tattered jeans. Her hair was loose and she wore just a touch of  
makeup. "I don't know anyone and I really need this job. He-he promised to take care of me, but . . ."  
  
"Of course I'll be your reference," Cathrine said instantly. "I'm just glad you thought of me. I'm sure it took a lot of  
courage for you to call a total stranger like this. But I'd be happy to help you out. Maybe someday I'll come into your  
salon and see how you do. The only makeup I'm good at is clown makeup!"  
  
Midii smiled in relief. She had the reference and she had the job. Maybe she even had a friend. But what in the world  
could Cathrine mean by "clown makeup?"  
  
Cathrine noticed her puzzled expression and laughed.   
  
"I work at a circus," she explained.  
  
"Well," Midii said. "I can give you some makeup tips that you certainly wouldn't want to use on a clown. Can we get  
together again, Cathrine? I'd love to get to know you better."  
  
"Of course Midii. I'll definitely hold you to those makeup tips. Why don't we go out for dinner Tuesday night? To celebrate  
your new job," Cathrine said, satisfied that she had done her good deed for the day and also gained a new friend. It  
was hard to get close to many people, traveling as much as she did. Maybe this job would be a new start for this girl,  
she looked brighter and happier already, that was for sure. Trowa was so wrong to worry so much. There was no  
reason not to try to befriend people and help them out. And she thought that no one could be as helpless or harmless  
as poor little Midii Une.  
  
******  
  
Stefan Niente peered over the top of his dark glasses and watched intently as his former partner left the cafe and  
walked away down the street.  
  
"Ah Midii," he thought in amusement. "I didn't know how much I missed you."  
  
It hadn't been difficult to track her down after talking to that lowlife Adrian she'd been working with. The idiot had no  
idea what he'd lost but he'd been happy enough to take the bribe money Niente was paying. No, that guy had had no  
idea that he'd been involved with one of the best "information specialists" ever employed by the former EarthSphere  
Alliance.   
  
No one was like Midii. He'd been watching her all day and already she'd changed her look twice. If he hadn't known her  
so well he would have lost her after the little trip to the salon. She still had it, wrapping that salon owner and that local  
girl around her little finger and getting exactly what she wanted from them. And all with very little effort. He had been so  
right to come after her.  
  
He had time to spare, time to watch her and get to know her again. Time to find out how to get to her. It had been  
three years. Niente hadn't seen Midii since the end of the war. But when he'd gotten this job he'd known who he  
needed by his side. She was the perfect partner. But it was too bad she wasn't a real looker, like that redhead she'd  
been with. That girl was a knockout, tall and well-built with nonstop curves. Niente liked the voluptuous type. That's why  
he'd been partnered with Midii. The higher-ups didn't like love affairs between the members of spy teams. Love affairs  
compromised missions. Oh, they'd kissed once or twice, while posing as a couple at some function or other. But that was  
all, she looked sweet and delicate as a porcelain figurine. But he hadn't thought it would be much fun to take a porcelain  
figurine to bed. Still, he'd be glad to have her back with him. Stefan knew he just wasn't as good without her. She was  
the irresistible soft touch that drew them in and he was the iron fist inside the velvet glove. And if he couldn't talk her  
into it, there were other ways to persuade her. He touched the pistol in his pocket. She'd always had foolish ideas about  
having a normal life someday.   
  
But, Stefan thought, running an impatient hand through his wavy, coal-black hair, what the hell was normal? For Midii  
and himself intrigue was a way of life. And one way or another he'd have to convince her of that. Hell, maybe he'd even  
get a chance to get acquainted with that sexy new friend of hers. He chuckled softly. It wouldn't be long at all before the  
two of them were back in business. After a moment, he followed after her, at a respectably discreet distance.  
  
*****  
  
It was after they shared stories about losing their younger brothers in the war that Midii and Cathrine became real  
friends.   
  
"Poor Midii," Cathrine thought. "She lost three brothers. Her heart must be about broken over it. I know I can never  
forget Triton. But at least I have Trowa." She was so thankful for that.  
  
Midii was beginning to be hopeful that her life was actually starting to get on track. She'd told Cathrine some details  
about her life, leaving out the incriminating parts of course. She was working extra hours because she was in such  
demand with the customers. She had a tiny little apartment, it wasn't much, but it was all hers and it had plenty of hot  
water.  
  
She also had a shadow, but she hadn't noticed him yet. She was lulled out of her instincts by the normalcy in which she  
was living and the disuse of her faculties in the flat, unchanging landscape of peacetime.   
  
Then, the inevitable happened.  
  
"I want you to meet my brother," Cathrine said. "Well, you know that he really isn't my brother. It's just that I love him  
like one. I know that you'll like him."  
  
"Are you trying to set me up with this guy," Midii teased. Actually, she thought that she might be ready to start seeing  
someone. "What does he look like?"  
  
"Well, I might be prejudiced," Cathrine admitted. "But I think he's very handsome. He's about 18, like you. Oh and wait  
until you see his eyes. They make me jealous they're such a beautiful shade of green. He does tend to forgo the haircuts  
occasionally, however."  
  
"He sounds perfect," Midii said, her attention caught by the mention of green eyes. "So tell me. What is this  
messy-haired Prince Charming's name?"  
  
"Midii!! You never take anything seriously," Cathrine said, laughing in spite of herself at the long-suffering look on her  
friend's face. "Trowa. His name is Trowa Barton. He's out of town now, visiting with some old friends of his. But he'll be  
back soon."  
  
*****  
  
  
"Geez you guys, what are you waiting for," Duo asked Heero and Trowa, who had come for a visit to celebrate the grand  
opening of the second location of Maxwell's Salvage. "I tell you marriage is great! At least find girl friends. I mean it man,  
I'm starting to wonder about the rest of you guys."  
  
The pair of unattached, former Gundam pilots merely eyed their comrade in stony silence.  
  
Heero thought, "There's no way I'm ever going to get tied down by a woman."   
  
But, he admitted to himself that Duo seemed extremely happy with Hilde. Heero absently wondered to himself where  
Relena was right now. Her birthday was right around the corner again . .   
  
Trowa was leaning against the wall and he folded his arms in his classic pose. He dropped his head so his long brown  
bangs covered his face, and hid his thoughts. Duo was lucky. He'd found that special girl. He didn't know if he ever  
would, had really never seen anyone that caused him more than a moment's notice. Only one girl, besides Cathrine of  
course, stuck in his memory. He really couldn't call it a happy memory. He remembered a little girl lost in a forest. He  
hadn't been any more than a child himself. But he'd thought that she was so pretty, had almost reached out to touch  
her silky hair. But then, as now, his self-control had been extraordinary. Her name was Midii. Midii Une.  
  
"Hey Trowa, wake up man!!" Duo's exuberant voice interrupted his thoughts and the other pilot's hand was waving  
crazily in his face. "Do you want another beer?"  
  
"Yeah. Sure. Why not," Trowa answered quietly.  
  
"Hey Hilde!! Hilde!" Duo called. "Could you bring us some beers babe?"  
  
Hilde, looking none too thrilled, came out of the kitchen with two beers. She handed one to Heero. He thanked her  
politely. She handed one to Trowa. He thanked her politely. Duo, however, got only a glare.  
  
"What about me," Duo pouted.   
  
Hilde yanked on his braid and tugged, pulling his head up to look at her.  
  
"You can get your own beer mister, and you know it," she said. She winked mischievously at Heero and Trowa, and went  
back to the kitchen.  
  
Duo gulped.   
  
"So that's married life," Heero stated in a deadpan voice, but a tiny smile crossed his usually stern lips.  
  
Trowa snickered a little.  
  
"Ummm, 'scuse me," Duo muttered. He wandered into the kitchen. Soon after strange, suspicious noises began  
emanating from the other room. When Heero and Trowa heard Hilde start giggling loudly and start to make little  
shrieking protests they rose from their chairs in unison and suddenly decided to take a walk. Somewhere out of hearing  
distance.  
  
*****  
  
Was it the things that Cathrine had said about Trowa Barton that had caused her to dream about the past, Midii  
wondered. It was a Sunday morning, she didn't have to be anywhere. She lay in bed lazily in the sunlit room and  
berated herself for continuing to think of him. Nanashi. When would she forget, she asked herself. But instead of trying  
to make herself forget him she tried to dredge up the old memories, tried to remember what she'd dreamed.  
  
She had been so frightened, not yet quite 10 years old. And they had left her, just abandoned her in that forest. It had  
been so cold and she had been so alone. She couldn't even worry about the mission they had given her, to infiltrate the  
mercenary force employed by the rebellion. She was so frightened that it would get dark and still she would be alone.  
  
And then she found someone. Nanashi. She could still see his green eyes looking at her suspiciously. He'd pointed a gun  
at her as she'd stepped out of the trees into a clearing, but he'd dropped his hand when he saw she was just a scared  
little girl. She'd thought he was going to reach out and touch her hair but his hand had dropped to his side and his head  
had gone down. But not before she'd caught a glimpse of those green eyes, so incredible even a child had had to admire  
them. She must have looked frightened because he'd taken her by the hand and led her to people. The people she had  
come to betray. By morning she had already decided that she couldn't betray him. Not even for Papa or her little  
brothers.  
  
So she'd given him the cross. The companion transmitter to her game necklace. Sometimes, in her childishness, she'd  
envied him his lack of a name, his lack of responsibility to anyone but himself. Even hated him for it at times when  
self-pity for her own dilemma drove her to anger. Later she'd found out he envied her her name, her family. They were  
the same. They were each other. She had loved him, she still did. She would never stop.  
  
Things that Cathrine said continued to swirl in her thoughts. Trowa had no family, he worked for the circus as she did.  
Midii could still see Nanashi sitting beside her on the seat of the truck. Right before all hell broke loose. How he had  
stared at the circus tents. She'd asked if they made him remember his family. He hadn't really answered her.  
  
Trowa Barton had green eyes, Cathrine said.  
  
Stop it, she commanded herself. It can't be. Trowa Barton obviously has a name. He can't be Nanashi.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . 


	3. Alone/Together: Chapter 2

Author's Note: Okay readers, please forgive the blatant mushy stuff in this chapter, indulge me please. As I was contemplating this chapter I noticed the similarities in this story to one of my favorite books: "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy. It's one of those books you read in English class and grow to love. If you've read it let me know if you think the stories are similar.  
  
Alone/Together  
  
"O my love, my love, why do I love you so!" she whispered there alone; "for she you love is not my real self, but one in my image; the one I might have been."  
  
--Tess on her wedding night, "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy (read the book or see one of the movies ( I recommend the A&E production), so romantic you won't regret it!!)  
  
  
Chapter 2  
by Midii Une  
  
Cathrine was interrogating him, at least that's the way Trowa saw it. She did it every time he went to visit the other Gundam pilots or took any kind of extended trip without her.  
  
"Did you have fun?"  
  
"What's everyone doing now?"   
  
"Did you meet any of Hilde's friends?"  
  
"Did you go out much?"  
  
"Why didn't you get a haircut?"  
  
She was so transparent, and although it really didn't bother him that he hadn't met the Perfect Girl while he was hanging out with Duo and Heero, he felt uncomfortable. Like he had let Cathrine down somehow. He had a nagging feeling that part of her was holding back her own life so she could watch over him. He loved her, he needed her in his life but he didn't want her to put her own life on hold until he decided to alter his solitary existence. But he was used to being alone now, he thought to himself. There really was no one he wanted to let into his life. He had Cathrine, he had the other pilots if he ever felt like he had to have someone around. And it was nice to know they were there. What more did he need?  
  
Somehow this time though, Cathrine didn't seem as upset by the fact that he still hadn't met anyone. In fact she seemed strangely relieved.  
  
She was up to something, Trowa thought.  
  
So when Cathrine asked him to drop a package off at her friend's apartment, Trowa was rightfully suspicious. But he sighed, dutifully, and agreed to do it. Hadn't he always vowed to do anything for Cathrine? Sometimes she did push the boundaries of his devotion to her a bit too far. He knew she meant well but he felt an uncharacteristic twinge of genuine sibling annoyance with the way she kept trying to motivate him to find someone.   
  
Trowa hesitated outside the girl's door. Duo's voice echoed in his head, "I'm starting to wonder about you guys."   
  
Was there something wrong with him, he wondered suddenly. He could count the times on one hand that any girl had caused him to give her a second glance, and then it had only been because they were small and slender, with long silky blonde hair. But when he'd looked a little harder the racing of his heart always slowed right back down to its usual steady pace. Try this time, he ordered himself, try for Cathrine's sake. She probably went to a lot of trouble to set this up.  
  
He didn't realize it would have been no trouble for Cathrine to find a girl for him. Despite the eccentric length of his bangs, his other features more than made up for it with the female population. He was tall, well-built and the hair just lent an air of romantic mystery that many girls found irresistible. He might have known that if he'd ever let his emerald green eyes look into theirs, instead of down at their shoes.  
  
Trowa took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.  
  
*******  
  
Cathrine congratulated herself. This time it was sure to work. She had an intuitive feeling that the two of them belonged together, it seemed so obvious. Both of them needing someone so desperately to be complete.  
  
She knew she had no business setting up her brother and her friend. Especially since she herself was still very single and very available.   
  
"You're only 20," she said to her reflection in the mirror. "That's far from old."  
  
But since losing her family, friendly as she was, she had really only bonded with Trowa Barton and he had certainly never held any romantic fascination for her. She idly wondered why, he was younger, but not enough to make a difference. And she often said he was handsome and she believed it.  
  
Maybe we're both afraid of the same thing, she thought suddenly. Afraid to find someone and lose it all. But we don't have to worry anymore Trowa, she thought at her adopted brother. The war is over and we can't lose anyone senselessly like that anymore. Please find your happiness. And I promise I'll start looking too.  
  
She had forgotten to ask Trowa if his friend Wufei had been there at Duo's little get-together. She had met him that once during the war but sometimes she found herself remembering those deep black eyes.  
  
*****  
  
There were some things she hadn't counted on or planned for.  
  
Like paying the energy bill for instance. She'd never realized there were so many little details that went into living a normal life. She'd thought it would be so much easier, but it was just as difficult. Midii sighed as she went around the room lighting candles. Two weeks until the next paycheck, two weeks in the dark, unless she visited Cathrine or went out. But it was hard to go out much when you had so little money. As a spy she'd never had to budget, the Alliance took care of everything and she concentrated on her work. She didn't want to think about it, it would be so easy to run away from all this normalcy and the hassles that came with it. But what else was there to think about when you were all alone in the dark?  
  
Then she heard the doorbell.  
  
"Ahh, saved by the bell," she said to herself, smiling at the cliche. It must be Cathrine, stopping by to check in. What would she do without her, Midii wondered.   
  
It wasn't Cathrine although the person at the door did seem to bear some slight resemblance to her friend. And there was something familiar about that hair.  
  
At least look at her, Trowa told himself, knowing Cathrine would ask him if he'd thought her friend was pretty or not.  
  
Midii realized this must be Cathrine's brother. She smiled a little. He was exactly as advertised, tall, handsome and possibly there were green eyes beneath that hair that made him look so enigmatic. It almost seemed like he must be painfully shy, he wouldn't even look at her.  
  
"Are you Cathrine's brother," she asked. "Trowa?"  
  
He shifted his gaze from the floor to her face at the sound of her voice. It was so soft and familiar. The gentle tone of it signaled to Trowa that she must be assuming that he was shy, lots of people did. He noticed a little of the color go out of her face in the harsh light of the hallway as her eyes met his. In that instant he noticed something else too.  
  
She was beautiful, so beautiful. Her hair was like molten gold, long silky strands fell around her face from the ponytail she'd pulled it back in. She must be at least a foot shorter than he was, he thought as he looked down at her. Her build was slender and delicate, the type he was always looked twice at. And her face, he thought that even an angel would envy that face and the wide blue-grey eyes framed within it. He had to stop, he knew he shouldn't be staring at her, but she was staring right back at him with unreadable emotions in those eyes. Then he knew. Knew he'd seen those eyes before.  
  
She'd fallen asleep, she thought, that must be it. Because this couldn't be true, must be a dream again and yet it made perfect sense. Cathrine's brother and Nanashi were the same. They both had no family, both had green eyes, both hid behind hair that was just a shade too long. Did he recognize her too? He was looking at her so strangely.  
  
"Nanashi," she said softly.  
  
It was her, he thought. Midii Une. She had changed, of course she had, it had been eight years. Her hair had darkened from pale blonde and she had grown up. He couldn't help but look at her again. She had definitely grown up. But her eyes, her eyes were the same.Looking into his as they always had, as if she were searching for something.  
  
"Come in," she said breaking the silence and taking his hand and drawing him into the dark room. He barely heard her apologize for the candlelight and the reason behind it. He only knew that it made her eyes shine and that her hair glimmered in the soft light. He kept his hand in hers and she made no move to drop it.  
  
"I always hoped I'd see you again someday, Nanashi," Midii said, forgetting that his name was now Trowa. It was hard enough to reconcile the young boy she'd met and loved with the man in front of her. But he was everything she could have hoped he would be now. He was so tall and his movements were strong and graceful. She knew that if he wrapped her in his arms she would always be safe and happy. She wanted to touch his cheek with her hand to see if he were real and gaze deep into his green eyes, lose herself there and never come back to the real world. And he was still holding her hand. She squeezed his softly and he tightened his hand in return.  
  
"Midii? Is it really you," he asked.  
  
She couldn't think of any answer to that so she nodded. There was so much to say between them that she didn't know where or how to begin. And she realized that maybe he wouldn't want to hear about all she'd done and where she'd been since they last saw each other. Wouldn't want to know how many other people she had betrayed since then. Midii was afraid that this quiet moment of wonder and awe that they had found each other at last might change to cold disgust if he knew. She didn't feel like talking. Cathrine hadn't told her much about Nanashi. Trowa.. His name is Trowa now, she corrected herself. She liked the sound of it. Hadn't liked thinking about him without a name. It had made him seem like something she had imagined, something not quite real.  
  
He told her a little about the time since he'd left when she prompted him to. He was short on the details. Trowa found that words were difficult when she was sitting beside him, hand in his, her eyes watching his face so closely. He merely said he'd ended up as a mobile suit pilot during the war then joined Cathrine at the circus.  
  
She poured him a glass of wine from the bottle on the table. "I have enough money for the important things," she joked softly, as he took a sip.  
  
"Lights aren't on your list of important things," he asked, teasing her a little, surprising himself. He wondered if she tasted as good as the wine she drank, he guessed that she did.   
  
She shook her head and sipped her own glass. "I don't mind the dark now that you're here," she said, setting down the glass and moving a little closer to him.  
  
He smelled her soap as she got nearer and decided that from now on lavender would be his favorite fragrance. How did she manage to distract him from asking her questions, important questions, like what she did for a living, how long she'd been here and how she'd ended up being friends with his sister and how, for that matter, she had survived the war? Why didn't she know not to spend her money on expensive soap and expensive wine when she didn't even have enough for the energy bill?  
  
But none of that seemed to matter at all. Could any of it really be more important than kissing her, drinking her in like a glass of wine? It seemed like she wanted him to, she was looking at him expectantly, but he wasn't really sure how to go about it. Things seemed to be happening so fast, one minute he was at her door and the next he was here beside her in the candlelight. And the next he was telling her she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and kissing her.  
  
She closed her eyes as his hand touched her cheek and she felt his lips touch hers lightly, tentatively. She reached her hand up to touch his face too and opened her eyes again to look at him. This close she could look into his eyes and see that they were just the same as they had always been. Nearly. But there was something new in them, a look she'd seen in other eyes before but had only ever wanted to see in his as soon as she'd gotten old enough to know what it meant to love a man. He wanted her. He thought she was beautiful. She prayed that he would love her. Maybe everything was finally going to be alright.  
  
She raised her other hand up to touch his face and leaned in to return his kiss. She sighed as she felt his arms tighten around her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, feeling his heart beat quicken as she pressed her body to his.  
  
"She's everything I dreamed about," Trowa thought. "So sweet and innocent. She changed, she really changed after I left her."  
  
He pulled the rubber band from her hair and ran his hands through it, marveling at how like a skein of silk it was.  
  
"He doesn't care," Midii thought. "He doesn't care what I've done. He only cares that I'm here with him now. Oh Trowa, I don't deserve you, but I never want this to end."  
  
A draft in the old apartment blew out the candles suddenly, distracting them momentarily from each other.  
  
"Shall I leave it dark," she whispered, the warm breath from her soft words brushing against his ear.  
  
"No," he said. "Light the candles again, I love looking at you Midii. I never want to stop."  
  
She was glad that it was dark for the moment because his words brought tears to her eyes. She always cried so easily, tears just welled up in her eyes and overflowed at the least instigation. But this was real, genuine, she thought. Happiness so close she could touch it, embrace it, taste it.  
  
Midii reached over and grabbed the matches off the table and lit one, after hastily wiping her eyes before he could see her tears. As she walked around the room lighting the many little candles Trowa watched her. He realized he hadn't even asked her how she'd managed all this time. Hadn't apologized for leaving her alone, for not looking for her after the war. How could he tell her he hadn't known how wonderful it would be, to be with her again. Didn't know how right, how perfect they would be together.  
  
Her heart dropped and her stomach clenched as she heard him speak.  
  
"So what did you do after I left you and you stopped being a spy? I never stopped wondering about you," he asked, coming up to her and wrapping her in his arms again.  
  
"Dear God, what do I say," Midii wondered, resting her head on his chest and concentrating on his heartbeat, on the steady pattern. "Can I lie and keep it up forever? No, I can't. But if I tell him. If I tell him . . ." She clung harder, tightening her arms around him.  
  
She was starting to shake a little in his arms and he waited for her to answer. He hadn't thought she would have so much trouble with his question. After all she'd given up spying after that horrible incident with the mercenaries, so long ago. She must have, how could she go back to that after that nightmare of mobile suits and bombs and death and blood?  
  
"You did stop, didn't you Midii?" he asked again.  
  
"Didn't you?"  
  
He dropped his arms as she remained silent and she looked up at him with big, sorrowful eyes.  
  
"I-I couldn't," she finally said. "I couldn't stop. There was no way else for me to survive. I would have been alone."  
  
Trowa looked at her. But he was seeing something else, remembering another time. Heard the roar of the mobile suits, heard the screams of people dying. The people he knew. The ones who had taken him in. Betrayed and dying. Because of her. Because of Midii Une. That's what it meant to be involved with her. And she had insinuated herself into Cathrine's life. Probably lied her way in. Who knew why. But where she went death followed. That was all he knew for sure about her anymore. The sweet girl he had kissed and held wasn't real. Never had been. He had imagined her, conjured her up out of his own ideals and put Midii's face on her.  
  
"Nanashi?" she said. "Say something. Please?" She reached up a hand to touch his face but he grabbed her wrist to keep her from touching him.  
  
"Keep away from my sister," he said. "Keep away from me."  
  
Her eyes hardened and narrowed. She didn't say anything. Midii was well-versed in self-defense techniques and she had the element of surprise on her side. With a quick twist of his her arm she loosened her wrist from her grasp and bolted out the door, the breeze from her passing extinguishing the candles and leaving Trowa alone in the dark wondering how things had changed between them so quickly.  
  
She ran a few blocks before turning a corner and pressing herself against a building to catch her breath.   
  
"All this time," she thought. "All this time I've fooled myself. Told myself that if I ever found him everything would be alright."  
  
She found herself remembering the last time she'd seen him. He'd been on the wrong side of a gun, at least in her point of view. She remembered how she'd felt so detached, just waiting for him to kill her. She knew he had every reason to pull that trigger. Why hadn't he? He must have thought he was giving her another chance, but she hadn't taken it. Hadn't been able to. Just because he spared her life didn't mean her situation had changed, not in the least. She had only proved herself to the Alliance, become an asset to them that they wouldn't let go of.  
  
"Why?" she whispered. "Why didn't you just kill me then Nanashi? If you can't love me the way I am, the only way I know how to be."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . .   
  
Next time on Alone/Together . . . Cathrine tries to change Trowa's heart . . . Midii disappears . . . Quatre hires a new secretary and what is his secret?  
  



	4. Alone/Together: Chapter 3

Alone/Together  
Chapter 5  
by Midii Une  
  
There was no forgiveness for her, no way to change, Midii thought as she walked aimlessly, only wanting to get far away, someplace where she wouldn't run into him again. Nanashi. . . Trowa. Tears of disappointment and regret blurred her vision. She was going to be trapped in a world of lies forever, she thought.  
  
Suddenly a hand gripped her arm and yanked her back so hard that she stumbled against the person who grabbed her and she heard the shrieking sound of screeching tires and cringed as the driver berated her with a blast of obscenities.  
  
Stefan Niente flipped the driver off as he sped off down the highway.  
  
"Looks like I just saved your ass. Again. Some habits are hard to break, aren't they Midii," Niente said, his low, familiar voice echoing quietly above her head. She tried to pull away from him as she looked up and recognized the face that went with the voice. But Stefan knew her much better than Trowa did. He just laughed at her.  
  
"Do you think I'm going to let you go out and play in traffic? That jerk just missed you," he said.  
  
"Stefan?" Midii said. "What are you doing here? Why don't you just go back to whatever hole you crawled out of and leave me alone? I can take care of myself."  
  
"Obviously," he said sarcastically. "I'm glad to see you too Midii."  
  
"Please just go away, I really don't need this tonight," she said, her voice cracking a little under the strain. There could only be one reason Stefan had appeared so fortuitously after so long an absence. He wanted something and right now she wasn't in any condition to fend him off.  
  
"Actually you do," Stefan said. "I've been watching you these past weeks and it's just not working out is it? You're forgetting to pay the bills. And then there was tonight. What'd you do, get all sentimental and tell your boyfriend the truth about yourself? I can see that went over like a . . ."  
  
He'd seen that tall guy go up to her apartment. He'd been up there long enough with her in the dark for Stefan to make an educated guess at what had been going on. She could be very seductive, when she wanted to be, even though he himself was not susceptible to her certain brand of charm.  
  
Midii's blue-gray eyes flashed angrily. "What? You were watching me?"   
  
She pulled away from him and he let her go. He knew what would come next, hoped she'd stay true to form. He hastily hid a victorious grin as she turned back to him with tears in those big eyes of hers.  
  
"It was him, Stefan. It was Nanashi," she explained, tearfully. "He can't forgive me, he won't listen to me. You were right."  
  
Shit, Stefan thought, as she started to cry harder and he patted her hair awkwardly. "Shh, Midii. Please shut up, I mean stop crying, okay. I'm back and I'll watch out for you. Just like before. We're a team remember? Come on, you need a drink. You need it bad," he said soothingly.  
  
When she agreed to help him out this would all be worth it, he thought as he took his coat off and put it over her shoulders and led her to the nearest bar. "A bottle of whiskey, two glasses, no ice," Niente told the waitress. "And make sure it's top shelf," he added.  
  
He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes, eyes so dark a brown that they were nearly black. He patted her hand a little impatiently and thought a minute, then he spoke.  
  
"I know how you feel," he lied convincingly, still he was relieved that she wasn't really up to par tonight or she'd pick up on his lies all too easily. "I've tried it too. Tried to take the straight and narrow path. They just won't let us out of this life we're in, will they? I understand you Midii. I'm the only one. I promise I'll look out for you until you get it together. We'll figure something out."  
  
She nodded barely listening and downed a shot of the whiskey. Midii grimaced as it burned in her throat. Was it only earlier this evening that she had opened the door to see Nanashi standing there, only a few hours ago that she'd been sitting beside him in the candlelight and everything had been like a dream? His lips on hers, his hands touching her face and she'd felt so happy, so right. Tears started falling again and she buried her face in her hands.  
  
Stefan sighed, bored nearly to the point of crying himself. If she was stupid enough not to lie to this guy she should expect the reaction she must have gotten, he thought in annoyance. Still, it was a lucky chance for him, things had been going to well for her and he'd thought it would be harder to get to her. His eyes raked over the available females at the bar. A voluptuous brunette with startlingly pale blue eyes winked at him and he groaned under his breath. Not tonight dammit, he'd have to play Midii's big brother, listen to her cry and hold her hand. She was really gonna owe him one now, he thought, as he poured her another drink.  
  
*****  
  
Cathrine waited up expectantly for Trowa to return home from Midii's apartment. She smiled to herself. He had certainly been gone a long time, things must be working out better than she could have dreamed. They were going to make a wonderful couple. She definitely needed someone to watch out for her and Trowa was so responsible. And she would lighten her brother up a little with her carefree ways and wicked sense of humor. A perfect match, Cathrine said to herself, almost hearing wedding bells.   
  
And why not? Every other time she had set Trowa up like this he had been back within half an hour. He never had anything to say or any explanations to make. Cathrine always told herself he was just waiting for the right girl.  
  
She looked at the clock, it was almost 1:30 a.m. Cathrine yawned and pulled the afghan over herself. "I'll just rest my eyes a little," she thought and drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
******  
  
He'd waited for her in the dark apartment for more than an hour, but she'd never come back. If she had he wasn't sure what he'd have said. Or done. What was she up to? What was she doing here? Why the hell was he waiting for her?  
  
Trowa pressed the button on his watch and the numbers lit up. 1:35 a.m. It didn't look like she was coming back. He blew out the candle he had lit and left. He didn't lock the door behind him because he didn't think she had a key. When he stepped outside it was so cold he could see his breath mist in the frigid air. There wasn't anyone in sight, she had disappeared like an ice cube in a cup of hot tea.  
  
If he found her he wondered what he'd do. Try to shake an explanation out of her or hold her close so she wouldn't leave and tell here that what was in the past didn't matter. But it did matter, he thought, forcing himself back to the reality of the situation and pushing away memories of earlier in the evening. The sudden appearance of Midii Une was probably not a good sign. He was in the Preventer reserves, along with Quatre and Duo. For Heero and Wufei it was a full-time job. Trowa tried to think like a Gundam pilot again and he didn't like what he thought. Like Cathrine had been earlier, he felt that Midii Une just had to be up to something.  
  
He told himself that was the only reason he wanted to find her.  
  
*****  
  
A sickening sensation of dizziness overwhelmed Midii when she opened her eyes to the unnatural darkness of a hotel room. The darkness was broken by the glow of a digital clock that read 1:45. She prayed it was 1:45 in the morning, but a glance at the window showed a line of intensely bright light that signaled that it was indeed afternoon. She couldn't even think about where she was or what had happened the night before because the couch seemed to sway precariously and the room itself tilted and the thin line of light at the window blinded her eyes. Was I drinking? she thought, and a brief moment of concern that she hadn't shown up at work today passed through her mind. But she couldn't concentrate on that. She forced herself to concentrate on making the room stop spinning. Midii sat up and immediately her head throbbed with the beginnings of a killer hangover and all that mattered was finding a bathroom. Now.  
  
Stefan heard the sound of running steps, heard a door get flung open and then the inevitable aftermath of a night of hard drinking. At least she'd made it back to his car last night before passing out, he thought gratefully. He sighed and got up to open the bathroom door a crack and hand her a toothbrush.  
  
What the hell was Stefan doing here, Midii wondered. How many times in the past had they gone through this little ritual of whooping it up after a completed mission, getting rid of all the tension and fears and celebrating their inevitable successes? It all came back with a mind-numbing jolt. She had found Nanashi, he was Cathrine's brother. But when she'd told him about herself he'd hated her and pushed her away. Then she'd blown it all, run away, found Stefan and somehow ended up here. She felt like crying but for once she had no tears. She only berated herself for being stupid enough to try to change, to try to be honest. Stefan was right this time, she thought as she stepped into the shower.  
  
******  
  
In another place, at the same time, a satin cover of long, pale blonde hair covered a couple lying in a similar hotel room in the unnatural darkness provided by heavy windowcoverings. It was after all the middle of the afternoon. The young woman touched the sleeping young man's face gently, more gently than she ever did when he was awake. She sighed and cuddled up against him and felt his arm automatically come up around her in a loving, protective gesture. Even asleep he was the sweetest, most considerate person alive, she thought as she let her fingers tangle in his wavy hair.  
  
She sighed again heavily, then regretted it as the sound made him stir a little. She knew that if he woke up it would be time to leave. But that was her own fault. She was the one who insisted on these clandestine meetings. A love affair conducted away from the eyes of the world, without the knowledge of his family and friends. She knew he didn't want it this way, that his values and beliefs made this very difficult for him. And yet she was even more important to him than that and she used that knowledge against him to get her own way. Told him that if they couldn't be together her way then they wouldn't be together at all. Of course she knew that wasn't true. Nothing could induce her to leave him, she loved him with all her heart. A heart he had helped her to rediscover. But he believed in her threats enough to do things her way.  
  
She did it because she was afraid. Afraid that if the people who loved him knew who he was spending his time with they would turn him against her somehow. There were times when she realized this was foolish. She believed in his love but fear was stronger than that belief. Just as the loss of her father had made her develop a strange obsession with war, the cause of his death, the fear of losing Quatre had made Dorothy obsessed with keeping their relationship a secret. But she wasn't happy, she wanted everyone to know that he loved her as much as he did and she knew that what they were doing was making him unhappy with himself, although he would never think to pin the blame on her. She wanted to get married in a big, expensive ceremony like every girl did. He didn't know she knew, but she'd found the engagement ring he carried around in his coat pocket for her, waiting until she was ready. It was huge and gorgeous and brilliant, but something inside wouldn't let her accept it.  
  
******  
  
"Trowa," Cathrine called, knocking on his door.  
  
There was no answer so she peaked in and saw that he hadn't slept in his bed last night. Well, maybe he had, but he hadn't bothered to pull back the covers and she hadn't seen him leave this morning because she had slept in after waiting up so late. She slipped inside to take a closer look and saw that he probably had been home and maybe laid down for a little while on top of the bedspread. She saw the shirt he'd worn the day before laid carefully on top of his dresser. Cathrine couldn't help snooping a little, besides she was beginning to worry. Midii's boss had just called and asked if something was wrong because she hadn't come in to work today or even called in. Cathrine had called her apartment but the phone just rang and rang. She examined Trowa's shirt and as soon as she picked it up she smelled the familiar smell of Midii's lavender soap and noticed the lipstick stains on the collar in just the shade of pale pink that Midii always wore when she wasn't at the salon.  
  
Where was Trowa? Where was Midii? And what the hell was going on, Cathrine thought, cursing a little softly, an unusual occurrence for her. Why wasn't anyone telling her anything?  
  
******  
  
Midii curled up in a big chair in Stefan's room and sipped some black coffee, slowly coming back to herself. She looked down at the hotel bathrobe and picked at one of the loops of terry cloth as he did his best to sell her on this new mission.  
  
Why wasn't she surprised that this was what he wanted? She was barely surprised to find out that there was an underground faction of the Alliance still in operation. And now they were ready to make a move. But where to strike first and how? Well that would be up to her and Stefan to find out.  
  
"They've got money to burn Midii," Stefan said. "This will be first class all the way. Just the type of job you like. I'll get you the background papers and watch out for you, you infiltrate the database and get the information. No one gets hurt and we get paid ridiculously exorbitant amounts of money. These guys are nobility after all and they're willing to pay top dollar for the top people. And that's you and me."  
  
"I'll let you know," she said. "There are some things I need to take care of first."  
  
Stefan narrowed his eyes and considered. Was now the time to get tough and force her into this? Or did he still have a chance she'd come around on her own? If he forced her it would be a bad situation and she could so easily double cross him. If at all possible he had to do this her way, there was always a back up plan.  
  
"Go ahead," he said softly, watching her with his dark eyes. "I won't stop you from doing what you want to do."  
  
She looked at him suspiciously but she went in the other room and came out looking much different.  
  
"Hey," he called. "You are going to bring those clothes back aren't you?? That jacket was expensive."  
  
Stefan was incorrigible, Midii thought. Why couldn't she be like him and just accept what she was? It was what she was good at, what she had always done. Stefan always enjoyed himself immensely, but she was actually the better spy. She used her experiences and her sadness to draw people to her and get what she wanted. But of course she did need Stefan, he looked out for her, got her out of bad situations when they came up and did all the really nasty work.  
  
Yes, she decided, she was going to leave this colony and she admitted she would probably end up leaving with Stefan. He did understand her and he'd always watched out for her. But first she had to say good-bye to Cathrine. Her one real friend. She owed her an explanation for whatever her brother must have said about her.  
  
Midii glanced at herself in the mirrored elevator door. Her hair was in two braids and she'd pulled one of Stefan's baseball caps down over her eyes. Lost in his huge leather jacket she looked like a little girl who had borrowed her big brother's clothes to go to the circus at night without her parents' permission.  
  
She wanted to say good-bye to Cathrine, but she also wanted to see Trowa just one more time.  
  
*****  
  
Cathrine could hardly believe the things that Trowa had told her about Midii. She had to believe him, but even if it all were true she believed the girl she had befriended was a different person than that.  
  
"Trowa," she ventured. "Don't you think you can give her another chance? The war is over now and she was just a girl. She probably didn't have much choice in the matter. I didn't choose to lose my parents and brother. But it happened. The war made so many bad things happen to people and they didn't have a choice. I was just lucky to be found by this circus, I could have turned out the same as Midii did. Think about it Trowa!!"  
  
Trowa thought about what Cathrine was saying. It was true to some extent but he knew she never would have resorted to what Midii had done, was maybe still doing. Just because the war was over didn't mean that there weren't going to be threats. And he hadn't done all the terrible things he had done, killed so many people just to let peace go down so easily. He wished he could forgive her, believe that Midii Une had been able to change. If only she had then he could be with her and love her. Love her? Where had that come from?   
  
Still, he hadn't told anyone else his suspicions. Hadn't called Sally Po at Preventers Headquarters or even discussed it with Heero or Wufei. Part of him still did want to believe in her. The part of him that kept the shirt he'd worn last night pushed back in his drawer because it smelled like her and had the imprint of her lips on it.  
  
*****  
  
She gasped and covered her eyes as Cathrine flung a barrage of knives at Trowa's head in a frightening display of control and finesse. At the sound of applause, Midii dared to peek through her fingers and the pounding of her heart slowed after awhile. When the performance was over she found a spot in the shadows where she could watch him. He'd taken off his shirt and was scratching one of the tigers under the chin. It was a beautiful, terrifying animal, Midii thought. And Trowa was beautiful too. She'd noticed all the young girls screaming his name as he did a high-wire act, which she hadn't been able to watch because of the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that he would fall. When had she gotten so paranoid that she couldn't even watch a practiced circus act?  
  
"Because I love him," she thought to herself. "I always will, no matter what he thinks about me now."   
  
She stared at him from the shadowed corner as long as she dared, memorizing his face and the play of the muscles under his skin as he moved. Remembering the night before when he had been hers for awhile. But that was all it could ever be, their worlds could never be the same one and now she had to go back where she belonged.  
  
"Good-bye Nanashi. Good-bye Trowa," she whispered and turned to leave.  
  
Trowa felt something, somebody was watching him. He turned quickly, but only saw a girl who must have sneaked in to see the lions and tigers. She had turned away and was leaving now. He turned away and continued to scratch the tiger under the chin. It had beautiful eyes, wide and blue and feline. Almost like hers. Midii.  
  
*****  
  
"Cath?" Midii whispered urgently. "Cathrine?"  
  
She pulled off the hat and took off the jacket when Cathrine turned away from her mirror where she was removing her performance makeup.  
  
"Oh Midii," Cathrine exclaimed. "I'm so glad you came. I was so worried. Are you alright?"  
  
Midii nodded. "I'm sorry. So sorry. I just came to say good-bye to you. To apologize for everything. Your brother must have told you about me and I'm sure everything he told you was true. I never meant to trick you, I really was trying to start again. But I can't do it. I'm leaving here. But I wanted to thank you Cathrine. Thank you for helping me."  
  
She heard footsteps.  
  
"I'm sorry. I have to go," she said again, giving the older girl a quick hug and running out again.  
  
Cathrine blinked. She had come and gone so fast she hadn't been able to say anything to make her stay. Midii had looked so different and so sad. This was just terrible she thought. Trowa was obviously upset and Midii's heart was broken. What awful things had happened to her to make her this way, Cathrine wondered. Maybe there wasn't enough healing power left in the universe to make up for the horrors of that awful war. She put her head down on her arms and cried for all of them, herself, her lost parents and brother, Midii and Trowa.  
  
*****  
  
The elegant woman in the creamy silk dress and the large hat with a small black net veil sipped her tea in the lobby of an expensive, discreet hotel on a colony in the L4 cluster. She watched the couple that came in every afternoon without fail. She watched and part of her envied them. They were so obviously in love and wanted each other so badly. As for herself, the one she wanted couldn't have cared less about her, or so she thought.  
  
She got up and left as the couple entered the elevator. She had seen enough. She knew enough about him to get what she wanted. Appreciative male eyes followed the sway of her slender hips beneath the expensive silk as she walked out and she let a tiny smile appear under the net veil as a man with hazel-green eyes opened the door for her and called her ma'am.  
  
*****  
  
"Hit me Stefan," Midii announced when she entered their room, tossing her veiled hat onto a table.  
  
"What?" he asked, then shrugged and agreed. "Whatever turns you on."  
  
He raised his arm and smacked her across the face hard with his open hand. She fell to her knees and raised her hand to the spot which was raising up in a massive bruise as tears of pain smarted in her eyes.  
  
"Christ!" Stefan exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you move? I thought you were going to show me some trick. I'll get you some ice. Are you crazy?"  
  
"No ice, not yet, it'll bring down the swelling too much," she said, allowing him to help her up.  
  
"Okay, you're certifiably insane. You have that interview tomorrow. You have to get hired for that position. And I went to all that trouble to get you that security clearance from Preventers. You stupid bitch!" Stefan ranted.  
  
Midii calmly looked in the mirror. "You're wrong," she said simply. "Don't underestimate me, I know what I'm doing. Calm down, I'll look absolutely perfect."  
  
Stefan shrugged and did as she said. She always did know what she was doing and who was he to argue? She'd been taking this all much better than he had hoped and there had been no crying over her beloved Nanashi. Thank God for that. He flopped on the couch as Midii continue to examine her bruise in the mirror, calculating at what point she should finally put ice on it for the best effect. Then she started experimenting with her hair to find a style that would make it look like she was attempting to hide the mark and yet failing to do so.   
  
Actually he had enjoyed getting her security clearance papers for her. There had been a pretty Preventers security assistant to seduce and by the end of the night she had been willing to do anything for Stefan, including forging security papers for his poor unemployed sister. Isabela Niente.  
  
*****  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner looked over the interview list. One more to go he thought, glancing at the final name on the paper, Isabela Niente. He needed to hire someone fast, his former secretary had quite suddenly decided not to return from her maternity leave. He didn't blame her but now he was in a pinch and his office was a disaster. He needed someone yesterday, but the nature of his business included his work for Preventers and finding someone with a top-level security clearance wasn't easy. You could practically be denied such a clearance merely for having too many speeding tickets.  
  
"Mr. Winner?" a soft voice asked, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up and saw a very pretty girl. She was petite and slender and she was very conservatively dressed in a gray skirt and a soft pink sweater. She had her hair pulled back a little on one side with a pearl barrette and she wore a little pearl teardrop necklace to match. The rest of her long, silky golden hair fell over her face covering one side of it.  
  
"I'm Isabela Niente," she said, offering him her perfectly-manicured hand.  
  
A waiter came up. "Something to drink miss?" he asked.  
  
"A cup of hot tea please," she said sweetly. "I never drink."  
  
Everything about her impressed Quatre. Her background, her sweet, quiet personality and her obvious knowledge of computers and filing and organization skills. And to top it off she had top-level security clearance from her former position.  
  
"Why did you leave your last job," he asked, it was a standard question and he had almost definitely decided that Isabela Niente was the one already.  
  
She flushed a little and looked uncertain and a little nervous. Her hand reached up and she tugged at the hair hanging over her face and he noticed something he hadn't before. Her carefully applied makeup unsuccessfully hid an ugly bruise that appeared to be some days old.  
  
"It was something personal. I felt like I had to get away," she said quietly.  
  
Quatre reached over and gently placed his hand over hers.  
  
"Can you start with some overtime this weekend," he asked. "I really need your help Miss Niente."  
  
"Oh thank you! Thank you so much," she said, her blue-gray eyes brightening up and a genuine smile lighting up her face. "I can't tell you how wonderful this is. Please call me Isabela."  
  
After Quatre left, Stefan came over from where he'd been waiting at the bar. "Impressive Miss Niente," he said, handing her a drink. "Shall we celebrate?"  
  
Midii nodded and took a sip of her drink, a triple shot of Chambord with soda on the rocks. "You remembered," she said.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . next time on Alone/Together . . . Quatre can't do without Isabela . . . Trowa decides to visit Quatre and get his advice about Midii . . . Dorothy and Quatre's sister suspect Isabela is too good to be true. 


	5. Alone/Together: Chapter 4

Author's Note: Gomen "Love is a Battlefield" readers, chapter 6 is almost done, but I got this inspiration for this story so it gets an extra update this week. Enjoy . . . and please review!  
  
Alone/Together  
by Midii Une  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Dorothy rolled her eyes in the dark as Quatre went on and on and about the perfections of his new secretary, make that personal assistant. After a week her kind-hearted lover had become so dependent on this girl that he'd given her a promotion. After a week Dorothy never wanted to hear the name Isabela Niente ever again, she'd heard it enough to last her a lifetime.  
  
Finally she interrupted Quatre's monologue.  
  
"To tell the truth darling I'm starting to become a bit jealous of this Isabela-person," she said, the pout on her face evident in her voice. "I feel neglected."  
  
"Dorothy," Quatre said, in a shocked voice. "How can you say that? Isabela is so helpful that now I have more time to spend with you. She takes care of everything, the messages, the paperwork. I feel a little guilty being here actually while she's putting in 14-hour days."  
  
"Guilty!?!?!?" Dorothy exclaimed. "Quatre, that girl is a paid employee. Let her just do her job, which according to you she does so perfectly. Why don't you pay some attention to me? After all Isabela Nothing or whatever her name is doesn't do *everything* for you."  
  
He heard the suggestive, seductive tone in her voice and realized that she needed reassurance. His poor Dorothy was so insecure in his love. It hurt him to know that but he didn't know what to do to make her believe he would never leave her. Quatre cursed himself for being so inconsiderate and not putting Dorothy's feelings first, as he should. She was so lovely and needy, lying next to him on her side with her sweet face propped up on one slender, aristocratic hand. He pulled her down on top of him and held her close, kissing her neck and stroking her hair.  
  
"Oh Dorothy," he murmured. "There's only you for me. Don't you know that by now? I wish you would let me tell Trowa and the others. Let me tell my sisters. Dorothy, I want to m--"  
  
She cut him off with a kiss on the lips. Oh how she wanted to hear those last words, but instead she pictured his friends and family saying horrible things about her. They'd want someone demure and innocent for him she knew, someone like the oh-so-perfect Isabela. That girl couldn't be what she seemed, Dorothy thought before the oblivion of pleasure overwhelmed her. What could she be after?   
  
******  
  
Yasmina Winner entered her brother's office without knocking.  
  
His pretty little golden-haired secretary, no, she thought frowning, personal assistant, appeared to be hard at work. Tapping away at the keyboard and making printouts at a rapid pace. Everything was as neat and tidy as could be, she'd never seen Quatre's office looking so spotless and organized. For Allah's sake the place even smelled faintly of lavender and gourmet tea. And yet there was something a bit off about this Isabela. Something strange about someone who enjoyed working long days, nights and weekends, who seemed to be dedicating their life to improving Quatre's.  
  
Yasmina was positive that she knew why.  
  
"Miss Niente," she said imperiously, quite proud of her status as second-in-command at Winner Industries. "I'd like a word with you in my office, immediately."  
  
"Of course Miss Winner,'' Midii said smoothly, but she felt a bit apprehensive. Could Miss Winner have discovered something about her? She hid her nervousness and followed the older woman down the hall. She prepared herself for anything up to and including the presence of the authorities in Miss Winner's office. It was hard to believe this she-dragon could be Quatre's sister. She and her boss were already on a first-name basis and she had easily made herself indispensable to him. She knew why he needed all the extra free-time he could get and her mission was so much easier with him out of the office much of the time.  
  
Yasmina sat at her desk but did not give Isabela permission to sit, she wanted to keep her off-guard. She watched the girl's face carefully as she spoke.  
  
"I know exactly what you are up to Miss Niente," she said, disappointed that her comment only appeared to make the girl look confused and puzzled.  
  
"I'm sure I don't understand Miss Winner," Quatre's personal assistant said innocently. "If I've done something to upset you--"  
  
"Don't interrupt," Yasmina snapped. "You believe you can make yourself indispensable to my younger brother. You think he's easy prey, don't you? Your plan is to seduce him and get him to marry you and get your greedy little manicured hands on his money. That's it, isn't it?"  
  
Midii looked at her with wide, startled eyes and forced herself not to break down into hysterical laughter. Quatre had kept his relationship with Miss Dorothy Catalonia very secret indeed if this shrew of a sister hadn't found it out. What a relief that she didn't suspect what she was really up to.  
  
She quickly composed herself and put on a penitent face. "Oh no, Miss Winner, I would never think of doing such a thing. I admire Mr. Winner of course, but I'm just so grateful to him for giving me this position that perhaps I'm trying too hard. I'm sorry if that upsets you. May I go back to work now, I hate to leave the office unattended, I feel I wouldn't be living up to my security clearance if I stayed away too long without locking the door."  
  
"Get out," Yasmina said, upset that she'd been unable to rattle this upstart girl. "But remember I'm watching you."  
  
******  
  
Quatre sighed. He knew he should be working, but he couldn't keep his mind off Dorothy. This clandestine love affair couldn't go on, but she seemed no closer to being ready to go public with their relationship. Her insecurity only seemed to intensify. She was even jealous of dear Isabela. But why? She was the one who made it possible for him to spend even more time with Dorothy. He desperately needed some advice about this, but who could he talk to about it?  
  
Midii entered the office quietly, she noticed that Quatre seemed upset and unsettled by something.   
  
"Sorry to interrupt," she apologized. "These papers need your personal attention, I'm afraid."   
  
"Of course," he said. "Forgive me for daydreaming. I'm here so little of the time and the time I am here I should at least be paying attention. I'm afraid I'm taking advantage of you Isabela."  
  
His words opened a floodgate of guilt in Midii's conscience. How could she help forming an attachment to him? Quatre was the most considerate and genuinely wonderful person she had ever met. And she was betraying him every moment of every day and it was getting more and more difficult the kinder he was to her. It wouldn't be long till she had all the information she needed, if only she could hang on. It wasn't often that she suffered these pangs of guilt and remorse, but Quatre was a special person and she hated what she was doing to him. It was so difficult to keep it up.  
  
"You seem like something's upsetting you Quatre," she said, sitting in the chair beside his and pointing out where he needed to sign the documents. "Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?"  
  
He signed quickly. "No, no Isabela. You do too much, you've been here since 5 am. Let me make the tea, you need a break," Quatre, ever-thoughtful even in his unhappy state, said.  
  
He handed her the cup of tea.  
  
"Isabela, can you keep an important secret," he asked, desperation apparent in his voice. "I really need to talk to someone."  
  
Midii only hesitated a moment. "Of course, you can tell me anything," she said.  
  
He told her all about his history with Dorothy. How she had joined White Fang and even fought directly against him with the mobile dolls. He told her how they had dueled and she had nearly killed him.  
  
"But it wasn't her fault Isabela. I truly believe that. She was just a good, kind person that was so hurt by the war, by the death of her father that she did the wrong thing. I love her so much, but she just can't accept it. I'm not really asking for advice. I just had to tell someone," Quatre finished.  
  
Tears filled Midii's eyes and she struggled not to cry. If only Trowa could feel that way about her. Then she wouldn't be here now hurting Quatre like she was, without his even knowing. If only Trowa could forgive her and understand like Quatre had with Dorothy Catalonia. She could see his face so clearly, her fingers remembered the texture of his skin. If only the war hadn't made her what she was now, they would be together. The tears fell without her even realizing it. She wanted to go find him and beg him to love her, to forgive her. Trowa. She almost wanted to laugh. Quatre loved Dorothy, but she couldn't accept it. She loved Trowa but he wouldn't forgive her. Instead of laughter a sob came out.  
  
Quatre looked at Midii. Her face was streaked with tears.  
  
"Isabela? Did I say something to upset you," he asked.  
  
"It's just so sad," she struggled to answer. "So sad. The war is over but we keep feeling the pain. It won't go away."  
  
He knew she must be feeling her own pain caused by something the war had done to her. He put an arm around her and held her close, stroking her hair soothingly. "Tell me about it Isabela, you can confide in me and I'll understand," he promised.  
  
If only she could tell him everything, she thought. But instead she just shook her head and cried heartbrokenly on his shoulder.  
  
******  
  
Stefan pushed his hand softly under the woman's tight sweater and expertly unsnapped the back of her bra. She had turned out to be quite the find, the girl who worked in the Preventers security office. She had good taste, she couldn't get enough of him. And Stefan had always found that it paid to keep those who did you favors happy. Not that he minded, not at all. The girl's fiery red hair and ample curves reminded him of that friend Midii had had, the one he'd been so attracted to. He could almost pretend this was her.  
  
The door slammed open suddenly and the lights flipped on.  
  
"Stefan," Midii called. "Are you here? I need to talk to you."  
  
"Damn," he said softly, peering at her over the edge of the couch. She was back early, she usually stayed at the office going through the data and using the system to hack into Preventers database till past midnight and now it was only 8 pm and she was back. And something was wrong, her eyes were red-rimmed and her voice sounded choked.  
  
Suddenly Stefan was all business. Their mission was obviously in jeopardy.  
  
"Sorry baby," he told the disappointed girl who lay beneath him on the couch. "My sister is here, the one you got the papers for. She's always upset about something and I really need to talk to her. What are big brothers for after all? Tomorrow night then?"  
  
The girl nodded and left, giving Midii an annoyed and unhappy glance as she left. "That girl had better be his sister," she thought jealously. "They certainly don't look like they're related." She sighed as she reviewed Stefan's tall, dark and handsome good looks. How lucky she was to be involved with a gorgeous man like him.  
  
When he was sure the girl had disappeared down the hall Stefan turned on Midii furiously.  
  
"So 'little sister' what the hell is the meaning of this? What's gone wrong, is someone on to you?" he asked.  
  
"No," Midii said. "It's just that I can't do this anymore. I can't do this to Quatre, he doesn't deserve this. It's all wrong. I just can't Stefan."  
  
"The hell you can't!! Are you crazy? We have to finish this, you've almost got all the data. If we back out now we're dead. Dead Midii. As in dead and buried. Maybe you don't care about that but I do and you're not quitting. Understand," Stefan shouted.  
  
"If you knew him, you'd understand. Maybe I would rather be dead than do this anymore," she said softly.  
  
Stefan looked at her, horrified. She was doing it again, this Winner guy had turned the tables and gotten to her. Actually it was the result of something that had happened to her so long ago. She'd told him all about it once. They'd been in a tight spot, with OZ on their heels and they'd thought they weren't going to make it. That's when she'd told him all about Nanashi. Some stupid kid she'd met once and believed she'd fallen in love with at first sight. A sappier story he'd never come across. But it had ruined her, that kid with no-name had given her something no spy should be burdened with. A conscience. He got an idea.  
  
"You know," he said, suddenly changing the subject. "I was watching the news today and they did a piece on how unsafe the conditions are at these two-bit circuses that tour the colonies. Yep, just an accident waiting to happen. And I heard they don't use any safety nets."  
  
"You wouldn't. How dare you threaten me like that," she said, her voice trembling furiously. "After everything we've done together how could you turn on me like that? You know, you're the only one who knows how much he means to me. He has nothing to do with this."  
  
"I do care about you Midii," Stefan protested. "I care enough not to stand by and watch you get killed in some painful, gruesome manner. Not to mention I don't want to die any time soon myself. This is serious, if we quit we die. It's that simple and I'll do anything it takes to stay alive."  
  
"When will you get over something that happened to you when you were a kid? You've let this guy ruin your whole life, you could have been happy doing what you're good at instead you're always questioning and torturing yourself. Who the hell is this guy? What makes him so perfect? Forget him already and accept yourself as you are. If you're lonely I can make you feel better," Stefan added.   
  
He looked at her shocked face, she really wasn't that bad, he considered. He touched her face with his big hand. Her skin was so very soft, pale and perfect as porcelain. She'd interrupted his evening plans and perhaps if they were lovers she'd forget this Nanashi character and come to grips with what she was. He was sure he could make her forget, after all he'd neve had a complaint yet. It wouldn't be that great a hardship for him and besides she was always available.  
  
Midii backed away from him a step. Stefan had never looked at her like that although she'd seen that look on his face so many times before. Predatory and seductive. He pulled her back and covered her lips with his, plunging his tongue into her mouth and holding her hands to keep her from pushing him away. Finally he pulled away and nuzzled her neck. "Oh Midii, baby, you're so soft and you smell so good. Come on, let's try this. Don't you want me just a little?"  
  
"No, I don't," she said coldly, turning her back on him. "I'm getting out of here, do whatever you want about completing this mission without me. You've stepped way out of bounds tonight."  
  
He grabbed her shoulder and swung her around. "Fine," he said. "I'll keep my hands to myself. I was just trying to help you out anyway. But listen my little Ice Princess, you'll show up at work tomorrow just like always."  
  
"Remember, accidents are just waiting to happen."  
  
  
******  
  
The phone in Isabela's office kept ringing and ringing and Quatre waited for her to pick it up. She was always so prompt and on top of everything. Then he remembered that he had sent her home, she'd come in late which was unusual and then she'd looked so exhausted with dark rings under her eyes that he'd ordered her to go home and get some sleep.  
  
He pushed some buttons and answered the phone on his own line.  
  
"Quatre," a familiar voice greeted him and he saw the familiar face of Trowa Barton on the communication screen. "How come an important guy like you is answering his own phone? Can't you afford a secretary to do that?"  
  
"Trowa," Quatre said, happiness evident in his tone at hearing the voice of his best friend. A friend who barely ever found the time or inclination to get in touch. But still, the best friend he had in the world. "Of course I have a secretary. The best one in the universe in fact. But it seems like I've overworked her, I had to send her home today."  
  
He thought about Isabela, he was quite worried about her. She really needed someone to take care of her. He got a sudden idea.  
  
"Trowa, it's been so long since you visited. Why don't you fly in this weekend and we can catch up on everything. Besides there's someone I want you to meet," Quatre said.  
  
"Actually you read my mind," Trowa answered. "I really need to talk Quatre and I need your help with something."  
  
Quatre was surprised. Trowa rarely wanted to talk and for him to ask for help with something was an unheard of occurrence.  
  
After he signed off he hoped that Isabela would be feeling better this weekend, he really wanted Trowa to meet her. If he could just get Trowa to cooperate he was sure the two of them would be good for each other. Isabela was the sweetest girl in the world, besides Dorothy of course, Trowa would be sure to see that. And once Trowa had someone in his life, he'd be more likely to understand about himself and Dorothy. He knew Trowa disliked Dorothy intensely, he hesitated as the word hate popped in his mind. Of course Trowa didn't hate her, he assured himself, he just didn't see the real Dorothy he loved.  
  
Trowa looked at the blank screen where Quatre had been a moment before. But he wasn't seeing his friend. He was envisioning a girl with golden hair and blue-gray eyes. Remembering what it was like to look at her in the candlelight. He'd looked for her everywhere but he was certain she must have left this colony. Quatre had resources he didn't.   
  
"I have to find her," he muttered.   
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . It's Quatre's turn to play matchmaker . . . Someone's stalking Cathrine . . .   
  
  
  



	6. Alone/Together: Chapter 5

Author's Note: I have to give credit for the phrase "patented Yuy death glare" to www.shinigami.org. Couldn't resist !  
  
Alone/Together  
Chapter 5  
  
by Midii Une  
  
Heero Yuy gazed intently at the computer screen. At first glance everything appeared to be normal. But Heero never gave anything just a cursory glance, he was thorough and that was why he was the perfect soldier, nothing got by him. He eyed the little blip in the numbers and after tapping a few keys he leaned back in his chair and pushed up the sleeves of his leather Preventers' jacket. Then he leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands and stared at the screen as if daring it to tell him he was wrong about this.  
  
Wufei, who just happened to be walking down the hall, caught a glimpse of Heero giving the computer screen his patented Yuy death glare. He made a detour into the room.  
  
"You found something," he asked.  
  
Heero didn't answer or even seem startled by the sudden appearance of his fellow Gundam pilot. He simply pulled up a new screen comparing the average number of downloaded files per day and put it up next to the averages for the last 12 months. Then he waited.  
  
"Alright, I see what you're seeing," Wufei finally said, after studying the numbers and the discrepancies in them. "What are we going to do about it?"  
  
"It's coming from here," Heero said, pointing a finger to a numbered location on a map behind the desk.  
  
"That's Winner Industries," Wufei said. "Quatre? Then we have nothing to worry about."  
  
"Not necessarily," Heero said. "Let's send a message and see if we get a bite."  
  
******  
  
Midii stared at the computer screen and chewed on her lower lip deciding how to handle the top priority message in front of her.  
  
Sender: HY01@preventers.org  
Recipient: QRW04@winner.com  
  
We're picking up a possible security breach from your location. Check into it and update us here ASAP.  
  
Just a few more days and she'd have everything she needed, Midii thought. She leaned forward toward the screen and leaned her chin on her hands, much as Heero was doing far away and at the same time.   
  
"I'll just have to make HY01 feel all safe and warm and fuzzy again, won't I," she thought. She searched through Quatre's e-mail and pulled up all his past responses to HY01.  
  
"Hmm," she whispered to herself. "They're acquaintances at the very least. Quatre's responses are always personal, HY01's are always straight business."   
  
She quickly typed in a response approximating what she thought Quatre might say.  
  
Sender: QRW04@winner.com  
Recipient: HY01@preventers.org  
  
Heero!! You never write. I'll look into your message but I have a feeling I know what's going on and there's nothing to worry about. We've been having some problems with temperamental systems for awhile here now. I should have let you know. How about in a few weeks you try to pull yourself away from your work and come for a visit? It's been too long. Quatre  
  
  
"And that takes care of that," she muttered to herself and she pressed the send key.  
  
*****  
  
Heero pondered Quatre's response. It should have made the suspicious feeling that was growing inside him go away. But instead it took root and he couldn't shake it. He'd pay Quatre the requested visit. But he wasn't going to wait a few weeks to do it.  
  
He buzzed Wufei.  
  
"How about a trip to the L4 cluster? It's time we looked up an old friend," he said.  
  
*****  
  
It was Saturday so Isabela was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, putting in a few extra hours. Quatre tried to look at her without seeming suspicious. How could he put this without her catching on to his scheme? He looked at his watch, Trowa was going to be coming in in about an hour. He looked at his personal assistant again. She looked pretty, of course she always did. But he wished that she had a dress on or something. He really wanted Trowa to be impressed.  
  
"Umm, Isabela," he said, sounding a little uncertain.  
  
"Yes, is something wrong," Midii answered, surprised by the strange tone of his voice. Did he suspect something, she wondered. Had he somehow come across the e-mail from HY01?  
  
"No, of course not. I was just wondering if you had plans for lunch," he said.  
  
She waved a plastic bag with a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in it at him. "I packed two if you want one," she offered.  
  
"You've been working so hard," Quatre said, trying to glance at his watch again without her noticing. "I'm going to take you out to lunch. Now go home and put on a dress. How about the blue one that matches your eyes? Meet me at the outdoor restaurant at the Colony Arcade in about 2 hours. I insist, now go."  
  
He fairly pushed her out the door.  
  
"What could he be up to? It's like he's trying to get rid of me." Midii wondered as she looked behind her to see him peeking at her through the open office door. She waved at him and he waved back and blushed a little at having been caught looking.  
  
"I have absolutely no idea," she sighed and went home to change. She just hoped Stefan wouldn't be there to question her and torment her with more of his threats.  
  
*****  
  
Trowa pushed open Quatre's office door, which was standing slightly open. He was about to call out to his friend when something stopped him.  
  
"Midii," he whispered. The room was full of the soft smell of lavender. He almost expected to see her standing behind the desk in the corner. He saw a bowl of crumbling, dried purple flowers on the desk. It was just some potpourri and lavender was a popular fragrance. He rubbed his hand over his forehead, pushing a little impatiently at the bangs that covered one of his eyes. Memories of her were driving him crazy and every little thing brought her to mind. He stared down at the little bowl lost in thought. When he thought of her in the daytime he could convince himself that she was a lost cause, but at night, when he dreamed . . .   
  
"Trowa!!" Quatre said, coming out of the inner office. "How long have you been here? Trowa?"  
  
He shook his head to clear the cobwebs. "Oh sorry, I just walked in," Trowa said.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're here," Quatre said, looking at his watch yet again. "If we leave right now we can just make our lunch reservation. I hope you don't mind, I asked my assistant to join us. I really want you to meet Isabela, Trowa."  
  
Trowa blinked. Why was everyone always trying to set him up? Quatre and Cathrine both had a lot of nerve, considering they were both still single as well. He sighed, he really wasn't in the mood for this, especially since that last disaster with Midii. Well, it hadn't been a total disaster a small voice inside said. Her lips had tasted just like wine and there had been something in her eyes, something that had seemed to be there just for him.  
  
He listened to Quatre's description of his personal assistant half-heartedly as they drove to the restaurant. It was always the same, "she's pretty, she's sweet, I know you'll like her Trowa . . ." It was like a listening to a recording.  
  
"Come on Trowa, give her a chance," Quatre said. "Promise you'll be nice, don't be such a stick-in-the-mud."  
  
Trowa's green eyes widened in surprise. That was the closest Quatre had ever come to criticizing him. It irritated him. He knew Quatre meant well, but right now he was driving him up the wall.  
  
"If she's so perfect why don't you go out with her? That is what you want me to do, isn't it Quatre," he came right out and said it, his tolerance regarding these things had just run out.  
  
"Well, it wouldn't be right to date someone that works for me. That's not good business ethics. Besides I already have some-- that is I already know that you two would be perfect together. I just have a feeling. Trust me Trowa," Quatre said. Now was not the right time to tell Trowa about Dorothy. He seemed like he was on edge. Quatre wondered what his problem was, but they couldn't get into it now. Isabela would be meeting them in a moment. When Trowa saw her he wouldn't be able to help liking her. She was just what he needed.  
  
*****  
  
Heero and Wufei stood in Quatre's office looking at each other. Obviously he had gone out.   
  
"What do you think is going on," Wufei asked, still not sure why Heero had found it necessary to drop everything and rush out here. Still he trusted the other pilot's instincts. It was uncanny how he sensed things, how he just knew somehow that something wasn't right.  
  
"Since Quatre's not here let's find someone else to talk to," Heero said, leaving the room and walking down the hall abruptly. The two former Gundam pilots ran into an older, imposing-looking woman not far from Quatre's office.  
  
"Can I help you," Yasmina Winner questioned.  
  
"Yes," Heero said. "We're friends of Quatre's and we're also with Preventers. I'm sure he mentioned to you that we suspect a security breach and the evidence points to this location as the source."  
  
Yasmina shook her head. "He didn't mention it and I just saw him this morning. I can't even be sure he knows about it to tell the truth. He's been delegating so much to his new assistant. Miss Niente just joined us a month ago but she has my brother's absolute trust. If you're his friends you should advise him to watch out for her. I think she's after his money."  
  
A month, Heero and Wufei thought at the same time, their eyes meeting. That was when the discrepancies had started to appear. Miss Niente wasn't after Quatre's money, she was after something else entirely.  
  
"You've been very helpful," Heero said. "Do you by any chance know where Quatre and his assistant are now? What's her description"  
  
"I believe they're having lunch at the Colony Arcade," Yasmina said. "You'll know her when you see her, blonde hair, blue eyes and sweet and innocent enough to make your teeth hurt. So you'll talk to him?"  
  
"You have good instincts," Wufei said. "We'll certainly have a word with Quatre about this, rest assured."  
  
Yasmina watched the two young men leave. Finally someone was paying attention to her suspicions.  
  
******  
  
Trowa swirled ice water in his glass, watching the twist of lemon bump into the ice. It was a beautiful day, the climate control had switched over to a season that approximated springtime on Earth and the sky beneath the colony barriers was bright with a few puffy clouds floating in it. He watched the people coming and going. And then he saw her, a girl that seemed to be walking towards them.  
  
Suddenly the sound of Quatre's voice faded out and all he could see was her. She was so lovely she seemed unreal and she alone seemed to be in focus, the rest of the people around her faded to a blur. Her loose golden hair floated a little behind her as she walked and the short skirt of her pale blue cotton dress fluttered in the light breeze. She stopped and spoke to a waiter and then she tilted down her dark sunglasses a bit and looked toward their table. . .  
  
"I'm meeting Mr. Winner," Midii said to the waiter and he pointed to a table at the far corner of the outdoor restaurant.  
  
"Thank you," she said and she tilted her sunglasses down to get a better look, the light wasn't as bright under the awning where the tables were.  
  
"Ah, there's Isabela now," Quatre said, noticing her standing near the entrance. "Look Trowa. I told you. Isn't she beautiful?"  
  
Midii stared at the table and her hand reached out to clutch the hostess's podium. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Trowa? Trowa was here? For a moment it was like a nightmare and she couldn't move. He was with Quatre, he would see her and that would be it, he would blow her cover. But her heart flip-flopped in excitement. Had he been looking for her? Did he want to find her? Over the distance and crowd of people her eyes met his and they held a moment.  
  
"Midii."  
  
"Trowa."  
  
Then her survival instincts kicked in and she turned and ran. It took a moment for everything to register for Trowa. Isabela. Midii. They were one and the same. Quatre merely looked confused. He wasn't alone.  
  
As Midii ran down the sidewalk she passed two men wearing leather Preventers jackets. She wondered if the situation could get any worse. Something told her that one of those two just had to be HY01.  
  
"Shit Stefan, where are you," she said out loud, slowing just long enough to pull a gun out of her purse. He was doing a damn poor job of looking out after her. Where the hell was he? Shooting pursuers was not part of her job description, but then again neither was getting caught.   
  
"That's her," Heero said looking after the girl who had just run by.  
  
"How the hell does she know we're after her," Wufei asked.  
  
Heero shrugged, pulled out his gun and started running after the girl.  
  
Wufei thought that it wasn't very challenging, chasing after some weak woman, but it was a part of his job description so he took off after Heero. At least it was more action than they'd had in a while.  
  
By the time Trowa made it through the crowd of tables and people in the restaurant all three of them were already out of sight. Quatre caught up to him. "Can I ask you what's going on?"  
  
"Her name isn't Isabela," Trowa said quickly, trying to decide which direction to go next. "Her name is Midii Une. She's a spy. I'm not going to lose her this time. Quatre, you go that way and if you find her keep her there. I mean it. It's important."  
  
"Oh Trowa, you must be mistaken," Quatre protested.  
  
"I'm not arguing with you right now Quatre," Trowa snapped. "Just trust me."  
  
*******  
  
"Stop and turn around," Heero shouted when he got close enough to the girl. "I have a gun."  
  
She pulled to a stop and whirled around.  
  
"Well then," she said, aiming her own gun at him. "It seems we're even."  
  
Heero didn't care if she shot him, but there were other people around, it was the middle of the day on a busy street.  
  
Midii hoped this guy didn't realize that she couldn't shoot anybody, at least she didn't think that she could. He looked like he meant business, his eyes were as cold and hard as blue steel. He made her nervous enough to jump out of her skin. Who was he? How had he caught on to what she was doing? The e-mail should have kept him off track for a few days at least.  
  
Heero appraised the situation. She was good, he doubted anyone but himself would have picked up on the tiny discrepancies in the records or suspected that the e-mail had not originated with Quatre. But he didn't know whether she had the nerve to shoot into the crowd. She didn't look like the type, the hand that held her gun shook almost indistinguishably. But he had her cornered and if she panicked . . .  
  
Wufei came around the corner of a building behind her. He'd taken a shortcut through a store to cut her off, when she didn't show up he figured Heero'd managed to catch up with the underhanded little infiltrator. He reached out to grab her by the arm.  
  
Heero's eyes widened, this was not a good thing. "Wufei don't touch . . ."  
  
Midii whirled and fired, the bullet ripping through Wufei's shoulder and shattering a window behind him.  
  
"She's out of control," Heero thought. He pulled back the trigger and took careful aim.  
  
Trowa rounded the corner.  
  
"Heero!! Don't shoot," he said.  
  
Heero pulled the trigger.  
  
******  
  
Quatre hurried down the street searching for Isabela. Trowa had called her Midii Une, but he had to be mistaken. He couldn't believe she wasn't what she seemed. It was veritably impossible. But then again, she had run away when she'd seen Trowa . . . distracted, he collided with a tall, dark-haired man coming from the other direction.  
  
Stefan was startled. It was that Winner guy. He didn't need to run into Midii's boss, they couldn't be connected. Where the hell was she anyway? He'd checked in at her office and their apartment and she was nowhere. She obviously wasn't out with Winner, he was alone. Stefan had only gone out for a little while, he had some smoothing over to do with his little friend, the Preventers security assistant. Whoever said that making up was hard to do had been mistaken, he thought smugly. But now it seemed like Midii had taken off.  
  
"Excuse me," Quatre said. "I'm sorry I bumped you. But listen, did you happen to notice a girl down that way? She's blonde, pretty, a little over five feet tall? There's been a misunderstanding, I need to find . . ."  
  
They heard a gunshot in the distance, closely followed by another.  
  
"Allah," Quatre gasped. He started running down the street in the direction the gunshots had come from.  
  
Stefan followed, cursing. How had everything gone to hell so fast? He thought she'd had it all under control.  
  
******  
  
Trowa pushed past Heero and pulled Midii up off the ground.  
  
"Are you hurt? Did he hit you," he asked urgently, looking into her eyes and pushing her hair away from her face gently.  
  
She shook her head and turned her face away from his. He'd only knocked the gun out of her hand with his shot.  
  
Wufei refused to clutch at his bleeding shoulder. "Shot by a woman," he growled to himself.  
  
Midii glanced over at him. "Oh my God, I shot him," she whispered, sinking back down on her knees on the sidewalk. "Oh God."  
  
"Trowa, back away from her now," Heero said.  
  
"Just leave us alone for a minute," Trowa said.  
  
He knelt down beside her and tried to get her to look at him.  
  
"Just tell me why you're doing this. Tell me why," he said.  
  
She didn't answer and refused to listen to him.  
  
"Answer me Midii," he said.  
  
She turned her head away and let her hair fall over her face.  
  
Heero came and pulled her up by the arm and Trowa didn't stop him.  
  
"We're taking you into custody Miss Niente. There are numerous charges: evading arrest, shooting an officer, falsification of security documents and I'm sure you must know of some others," he said, handcuffing her hands behind her back.  
  
He paused in front of Wufei. "Get yourself to a hospital and get that taken care of," he said. "Next time don't sneak up on someone with a gun."  
  
Midii glanced at Wufei and turned pale at the sight of the blood. "I-I'm sorry," she said. He ignored her apology. "I don't need a hospital I'll take care of it myself," Wufei said. "Besides if you hadn't shouted I'd have been able to get the gun away from her without any shots being fired."   
  
The two Preventers glared at each other a moment.  
  
"Trowa," Heero said. "I'll talk to you later, don't leave this colony."  
  
  
******  
  
"Well," Stefan thought. "At least she plugged one of those guys. Goddamn, there were three of them. She didn't have a chance. I dropped my guard, it was going to well."  
  
If he didn't get her back he was in big trouble. He didn't have any of the information, it was all inside her head. He noticed she was doing her part, she hadn't said a word. Stefan glanced sharply at the man who wasn't in uniform, the one who was staring at the ground and the pool of blood beside her dropped gun. Stefan clenched his fists in recognition. It was that guy, Nanashi. He was the cause of all her problems and her problems were his problems. He put his hand in his jacket pocket and closed his hand over his own gun.  
  
But there were too many people around and if he got caught now he'd be no help to Midii. He had a little time, they couldn't make her talk, the peace-minded fools were too civilized for that. They wouldn't torture her or anything. She knew the protocol, she wouldn't say a word.  
  
Niente grinned. His self-confidence, dimmed by seeing his partner arrested, was quickly returning. Perhaps a little prisoner exchange was in order. But first he needed something to trade.  
  
******  
  
Heero looked at Trowa suspiciously. He'd told him everything he knew. She was a former Alliance spy, her name was Midii Une and they'd met years ago, during the war.  
  
He looked around the room. All of them back together again, except for Duo of course who thankfully wasn't caught up in this crazy situation. Trowa was insisting he didn't know what the girl had been after and that he didn't care what happened to her. Heero knew that was a lie. He'd heard the emotion in Trowa's voice when he thought he'd shot her. And Quatre was still insisting that he and Wufei and Trowa all had to be mistaken and that she couldn't have meant to do anything wrong.  
  
And this Isabela Niente or Midii Une or whatever she called herself wouldn't say a word.  
  
******  
  
Rainstorms should be scheduled, Cathrine thought crankily. Her usually cheerful personality was dampened by worry as well as from being caught in the rain. She hadn't heard from Trowa in days. And lately he had been almost as withdrawn as he was when she first met him. Seeing Midii Une again had seemed to change something in him. She thought about her friend, she still considered her as such. Cathrine hoped that she was making a fresh start somewhere. But her eyes had been so sad and hopeless the last time she'd seen her.  
  
She sighed and ducked into a restaurant. It seemed everyone had had the same idea, the place was packed and it looked like she wouldn't even be able to get a table to have a cup of coffee. She shivered a little, she was soaked through. She felt very uncomfortable because she knew her clothes must be clinging to her like a second skin. She wished they would turn the air conditioning in the place down. Cathrine felt a tickle in her nose and couldn't stifle a sneeze.  
  
"Bless you," a low voice said.  
  
"Thank you. Excuse me but it's just so cold in here," Cathrine said, looking up into a pair of deep brown eyes. She looked down and flushed a little. He was looking at her so strangely and she wished that she wasn't soaking wet. She knew that in her condition her clothing must leave very little to the imagination.  
  
"Let me lend you my jacket," he asked. "Wouldn't want a pretty lady like you to catch cold."  
  
Before she could answer he had taken off his jacket and place it around her shoulders, he squeezed his hands on her arms gently as he finished putting it into place.  
  
"Really, I can't take your jacket," she protested, trying to pull it off. He was a good-looking man but something in his eyes frightened her.  
  
He reached out and tightened the jacket around her once again. He lifted her hand to his lips and she felt the tip of his tongue flick out and touch the back of her hand as he kissed it with a loud smack. He looked into her eyes. She tried to pull her hand away but he tightened his grip.   
  
"I insist," he said. "I can't resist a lady in distress. Let me introduce myself. My name is Stefan Niente."  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . Trowa enlists Duo's help when he gets an upsetting communication from Stefan . . . Quatre tries to get Midii to cooperate with the investigation  
  



	7. Alone/Together: Chapter 6

Alone/Together  
  
By Midii Une  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Sally Po gritted her teeth, frustration making her dig her nails into her palms. Questioning this girl was getting very irritating. She kept repeating the same information over and over, and effectively blocking all her attempts at getting at the truth. And while Sally was finding it harder and harder to keep her cool the suspect maintained her ridiculous "I haven't done anything wrong" attitude.  
  
She tried again.  
  
"Miss Une, this obstinate behavior isn't getting us anywhere. Your denials aren't fooling anyone and I'm getting very tired of all of this," Sally said, barely keeping her temper under the surface. "Tell me who you're working for and why."  
  
The girl blinked at her and raised her hands, handcuffed at the wrists to push her hair back.  
  
"I'm sorry about all these misunderstandings," she said, in a maddeningly soft, sweet, innocent voice. "My name is Isabela Niente. I was only trying to get up-to-speed on all the information in Mr. Winner's database so I could be an effective employee. You should have no concerns, you have my security clearance in front of you Miss Po. I've been cleared by your own office. Surely you don't suspect a security breach there? Perhaps that's where you should be investigating if you have any concerns. What more can I tell you."  
  
Sally got up and a soft, annoyed groan escaped her lips as she started pacing the room. "Your name is Midii Une. You worked with the Alliance all through the war. We have a witness," she said again.  
  
"My name is Isabela Niente. You have my security clearance," Midii repeated again. She widened her blue-gray eyes and looked directly into Sally's.  
  
"Dammit," Wufei said, peering through the one-way glass window. "I wish we could hear what they're saying."  
  
Heero didn't look up. "Judging by how Sally looks she's getting nowhere fast," he said. "There's not a whole lot she can do if that girl keeps sticking to her story. By the way, how's the shoulder?"  
  
Wufei glared and ignored Heero's barb about his wounded shoulder. Actually both shoulder and pride hurt like hell but he wasn't about to confess that to Yuy.  
  
"How do they expect us to maintain peace if we have to follow these stupid rules? There must be something we can do to make that woman talk," he said.  
  
"If she'd already transferred the information she wouldn't have stayed around after getting that e-mail I sent," Heero said. "If they want it bad enough they'll come after her. All we have to do is wait."  
  
Wufei nodded, but he didn't like it. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes meditatively. Waiting sucked.  
  
Trowa came in, wearing his Preventers uniform. Heero looked at him speculatively, trying to decide how he fit into this situation.  
  
"I'm back on active duty," Trowa explained.   
  
He leaned up against the glass and looked at her. She wouldn't see him or talk to him. He could see Sally Po getting more and more frustrated and looking at Midii he might even have believed her if he didn't know better. He wanted to go in there and shake her. Why did she keep showing up in his life? Why did she keep getting herself involved with the people he cared about, his sister, his best friend? Hadn't she done enough to him already? And what the hell was she up to?  
  
Suddenly she looked toward the window, he could swear she was looking at him, but that was impossible.  
  
Midii ignored Sally's ranting, she didn't have to listen, all she had to do was keep insisting that she was who she claimed to be. And there wasn't a damned thing they could do about that. For some reason her eyes were drawn to the mirror that hung on the wall, probably a one-way window to the other room. She felt like someone was watching her and she looked at the mirror a few seconds before turning away.  
  
If only Trowa weren't involved in this it might almost be amusing, the frustration in the other woman's voice. But it was difficult to maintain her composure with him around, she didn't want to face those green eyes. It must be him, he was looking at her, she could feel those eyes on her.  
  
"I'm too tired to answer any more questions," she announced suddenly. "I've already told you all I can."  
  
"Fine," Sally snapped. "But we'll talk later and then I'll expect the truth from you Miss Une."   
  
"It's Miss Niente. I've already told you that you can call me Isabela. I'd like to help you but I'm telling the truth," Midii countered, but her voice faltered a little. She felt like every lie she told was increasing the chasm between her and Trowa. He'd never forgive her.  
  
When Sally opened the door Trowa stopped her from closing it. "Let me try again," he said.  
  
Sally shrugged. After Trowa shut the door, she sat down at the desk and groaned loudly, then pushed all the papers off onto the floor and pounded her forehead on the shining wood in frustration.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Wufei smirk a little. The smirk that told her he thought she was weak for losing her cool. Oh how Sally wished she could see him try to question that little witch without losing his temper. He'd last less than a minute with the exasperating Miss Une. And like an echo in her head she heard that soft little voice say, "It's Miss Niente."  
  
"Dammit," she cursed softly and looked through the window to see how Trowa was faring.  
  
Midii took one look at who had walked through the door and stood up and turned her back.  
  
"Go away. I won't talk to you," she said. She went to wrap her arms around herself, but the stupid handcuffs wouldn't let her. She closed her eyes tightly, the glimpse of him burned into her mind. God, but he looked good in uniform. Goosebumps popped up on her arms.  
  
"Talk to me," he said, coming up behind her, standing so close she could feel the heat from his body through her thin cotton dress. "Something terrible is going to happen if you don't. Can't you understand that?"  
  
She didn't answer. He looked down at her. She was so close he could touch her if he just moved forward a bit. His hand reached out, seemingly on its own, and touched her hair softly. She held her breath, she wanted to turn around and throw herself into his arms and tell him everything. But she couldn't, she couldn't. Didn't he understand something terrible would happen if she did? She shook her head and stepped away from him.  
  
Trowa grabbed her arms, spun her around and started to shake her. "Stop this right now, dammit. Stop it," he said.  
  
"Sir," the guard intervened. "You can't touch the prisoner, it's against regulations."  
  
"Midii," he said, looking at her. The blue-gray eyes met his a moment, and his hands slid softly down her arms, like a caress. She gasped and pulled away.  
  
"Leave me alone," she said, turning away again. "I don't have to talk to you."  
  
"You have to go," the guard said.  
  
Trowa stalked out. God, she was maddening. But he'd barely been able to restrain himself from knocking the guard away and kissing her. Every time he was close to her he almost forgot what she was. She was like a rose, so beautiful, but if you touched her you'd get hurt by the thorns.  
  
As soon as the guard locked her back up Midii reached into the heel of her shoe for a lock pick and took of the handcuffs. She threw them up against the wall and rubbed her hands over her arms. But she couldn't erase the feel of his hands there. There was something in his eyes too and she knew that she hadn't killed it all, not every shred of feeling that had been there that night. She imagined that he had told the guard to go to hell and held her close and kissed her. If he had she knew she would have told him everything.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Tell me everything Quatre," Dorothy said. She restrained herself from saying "I told you so."   
  
Obviously everything the others suspected about Isabela Niente must be true, but Quatre was still sticking up for her. He was starting to admit that perhaps she was Midii Une as Trowa insisted. But he still thought she must have a good reason for doing what she did. Sure she did, thought Dorothy, the girl was a spy that was reason enough. But Quatre always believed the best about everyone. Perhaps that was how he could bring himself to love her, Dorothy thought. Had he ever really realized how awful she had been? There were times she wanted to tell him every nasty little detail and see if he still loved her then.   
  
And this just proved another point, his friends obviously didn't feel the same tolerance toward former war enemies as Quatre did. She could never let him tell them about his relationship with her.   
  
"Dorothy," Quatre pleaded. "Come with me to headquarters. I'm going to go back on active duty with Preventers awhile, just till this thing with Isabela, umm, Midii Une, blows over. I'm going to have to spend a lot of time on this and if we're a secret I don't know when I'll be able to be with you again. Come with me and I'll tell everyone about us. It'll be alright, I promise."  
  
"I'll miss you," Dorothy said. "But I swear if you tell anyone about us I'll run so far you'll never find me. They won't approve of us. I'm sure of it."  
  
"Don't say things like that," Quatre said. "Who knows how long this is going to take and I need to be with you. If you'd just let me marry you we could be together all the time. Dorothy I've been so patient, I love you, please, we can't keep things this way forever."  
  
She turned away from him. He'd said the words, he wanted to marry her. How she wanted to wrap her arms around him and kiss him and say yes. He would be so happy she knew, she could imagine his blue eyes shining with relief. But she couldn't do it. But what if he wouldn't take no for an answer? Could she leave him? Tears sparkled in her eyes.  
  
"Oh Dorothy, please don't cry," Quatre said, shocked because he'd never seen tears in her eyes before. "I'd never leave you, you have to believe that. We'll do it your way awhile longer, I'll do anything to be with you."  
  
She nestled in his arms and sighed with relief. If he'd pressed her or threatened to leave she might have had to give in to him. Because she couldn't do without him either, but luckily for her Quatre never pressed or threatened. It just wasn't in him to do it, no matter how much he wanted something.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
He wouldn't leave her alone, Cathrine thought as she caught a glimpse of that man again. He was always in the corner of her vision. Sometimes she confronted him and he'd just grin and say that maybe they were just fated to be together. Then those warm, deep-brown eyes would sweep over her from head to foot and his smile would broaden and she would start to think things, improper things. He was so handsome and yet he scared her too. Cathrine was starting to wish Trowa were here, he'd tell this guy where to go in a hurry. She didn't feel comfortable mentioning this to anyone else. After all, Stefan hadn't really done anything wrong.  
  
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said. "I can't help hanging out hoping to get a look at you again." That was his explanation for always being around, wherever she went. Although she didn't tell anyone about her fears, Cathrine started carrying one of her throwing knives around. She felt a little better that way.  
  
Stefan followed Cathrine at a short distance, appreciating the sway in her walk and the tantalizing view presented by the short shorts she always wore. This was one of those times when it was a good thing to be Stefan Niente he thought. He could almost thank Midii for getting caught, it was giving him a chance to get close to her, the enchanting Cathrine. It had been a long time, if ever, since he'd been so attracted to a woman. And when he caught her eye he could see that she wasn't indifferent to him, not at all.  
  
And now the little game of cat-and-mouse was going to conclude. It was time to catch the pretty little mouse. He sighed a little, he wished his pursuit of her wasn't business-related at all, but purely pleasure. Stefan stepped up his pace when they got to the park, it was dusk and the place was deserted. All the children that played there had gone home to dinner and the lovers who met there at night hadn't shown up yet. They were alone.  
  
Cathrine shrieked a little in surprise when he touched her arm and turned to face him.  
  
"Why do you keep following me, you're starting to scare me," she said, facing up to him bravely.  
  
He thought she was more attractive than ever when her violet eyes sparked like that.  
  
"Well," he said softly. "I wish it was only because you're so beautiful, but unfortunately I have an ulterior motive for following you. I need you to borrow you for a little while."  
  
He pulled a gun out of his coat pocket and pointed it at her. "I just need your help with a little deal I want to make with your brother," he explained. "You won't get hurt and who knows, we might even have a little fun together."  
  
Cathrine pulled her knife out of her pocket and held it between them.  
  
His eyes shone approvingly at her and he grinned.  
  
"Let's make a deal, I won't touch you unless you want me too," he said. "But unfortunately my gun is a bit more lethal than your knife. You really do have to come along with me. But I'll let you keep that thing if it makes you feel better, Gorgeous."  
  
He took her arm and Cathrine didn't dare resist. After all he was right, he had the advantage for now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Trowa's cell phone rang. It was Cathrine.  
  
"Cathy," he said, instantly remorseful, he'd been gone a week and hadn't called or checked in, he was so wrapped up in the situation with Midii. "I'm sorry I haven't called, something's come up and I'll be staying out here with Quatre for longer than expected. Cover for me with the boss, will you?"  
  
"Oh, Trowa," she said and her voice sounded different, like she was upset or frightened. He focussed his attention on his sister more intently, pushing the ever-present thoughts of Midii away for the moment.  
  
"Is something wrong," he asked. "What's the matter, Cathrine."  
  
"Cathrine?"  
  
"Hello there Nanashi," a male voice said. "Interested in a little deal?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Trowa," Sally asked. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
He shook his head negatively. He had to see Midii, he had to find out about this Stefan Niente, find out whether he would hurt Cathrine. He hadn't mentioned hurting her, but . . . Only the trade three days from now.  
  
"You can do it Mr. Big-time Gundam Pilot," the man had said. "Certainly you can get Midii out of there. Hell, I bet you've even got your own personal key, you're probably sneaking in there to see her every night as it is. I know she's got the hots for you. See you in three days, she'll know where."  
  
"I just need to talk to her again, Sally," Trowa said, trying to seem nonchalant. "Maybe I can get through."  
  
"I'm afraid not Trowa, you lost control last time. You're off the guest list for now. We're already having enough trouble getting her to talk and you just seem to rub her the wrong way somehow," Sally said.   
  
Trowa wondered how he was going to get her out if he couldn't even talk to her. Was it even the right thing to do? But he didn't have a choice. He frowned as he thought. Then he came up with something. Duo. Hadn't he always bragged he could get out of anything?  
  
"Yeah, I'm a regular Houdini," he'd always boast, loving to showoff and prove himself better than Heero at anything. Duo was the one to help him, he just had to convince him of that.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Duo was bored. Peace wasn't really all it was cracked up to be. He was an ordinary citizen, a hard-working local businessman-type guy. The young man formerly known as the God of Death, turned up the radio and drummed his fingers on the counter.  
  
"This is so lame," he thought. Not a customer all day. There had to be some space junk out there somewhere that needed to be cleaned up and he was the best there was damn it. Yep, the best junkman on any colony, anywhere. He'd wanted to make his motto "Hire the God of Junk" but Hilde, his wife and business partner, had vetoed that suggestion.  
  
"Spoilsport," he thought to himself.  
  
He gave up on the finger drumming and grabbed a couple of pencils and used those to tap along on the counter to the radio beat.  
  
"Duo!! Duo--you've got an incoming call from Trowa!! Trowa Barton," Hilde called down from their apartment above the salvage office. Duo didn't hear, he was too busy drumming and he had just cranked the radio even higher. Hilde heard the throb of the radio on the floor under her feet. That man, she thought. She sighed and stomped down the stairs to the office. She couldn't help but smile, he was so adorable, lost in his own little world, pounding away on the counter with his pencils for all he was worth.  
  
"DUO," she yelled, and laughed to see him jump.  
  
"What," he said, looking at her questioningly with his big deep blue eyes.  
  
She leaned in and kissed him.  
  
"You've got a call from Trowa coming in on the line upstairs," she said. "I'll watch the counter while you take it."  
  
He kissed her back, lingering over her lips and running a hand down her back softly. Then he grinned and pinched her bottom, running up the stairs before she could retaliate.  
  
"I'll get you for that Maxwell," she yelled after him.   
  
He smirked, actually he hoped she would. Things could get very interesting when Hilde was feeling frisky.  
  
"Trowa! Hey buddy," Duo said, peering at the communications screen. "Man, you don't look so good."  
  
Trowa sighed and filled Duo in on what had been going on.  
  
Duo snapped the pencil he was holding in two and flung the pieces against the wall.  
  
"HEERO," he yelled, pacing around the room, while Trowa watched, somewhat puzzled. Duo leaned in close to the screen again. "Why the hell aren't I in on this? What am I? Chopped liver? This is bullshit, I'm in Preventers just like the rest of you. Heero's gonna hear about it for trying to shut me out of this one. I'm on the next shuttle outta here, I'll see ya when I see ya."  
  
"Duo. Wait," Trowa said, trying to catch him before he clicked off the communicator. "There's more. I need your help."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Duo listened as Trowa explained the situation with Cathrine and Midii. As he listened a grin that could only be described as mischievous crossed his face.  
  
"So you're saying you want to get this girl outta there behind Heero's back and then we use her as bait to catch the bad guys all on our own and save your sister? Just me and you without Heero, Wufei and Quatre?" Duo said, summing it all up in his own inimitable way, putting his own slant on things.  
  
"I'm sorry about going behind Heero's back," Trowa said. "I know you two are best friends, but . . ."  
  
"Best friends? Best friends? Does someone's best friend leave them out of the only excitement we've had in years? I'll show Heero not to cross the God of Death. We'll get those guys ourselves Trowa buddy. Come on, who's your best pal?? Ol' Shinigami is out to make a point and you get to help me. Pick me up at the space port on the next arrival from L2 cluster. We're gonna kick some ass."  
  
Trowa blinked at the blank screen. He was starting to regret contacting Duo, just a little. He was having way too much fun with this.  
  
Duo tossed a few changes of clean underwear in a bag and scampered out the door, his braid swaying behind him.  
  
"Bye babe," he yelled as he went out the door. He was not willing to let Hilde have a chance to question him. He knew she wouldn't approve of this mission, not at all. "Trowa needs a hand with something. I'll be back in a few days."  
  
"Duo! Wait," she yelled, running to the door just in time to see him speed off to the spaceport on his motorcycle.  
  
"Damn," Hilde said. He was definitely up to something.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Trowa looked at his watch. He had hours yet till Duo could possibly show up, the L2 cluster was the most remote and flights from there always took forever. He had to try again to talk to Midii. He had to get her cooperation on this. He'd promise to protect her if she helped them, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. But he had to get this Niente guy to show up with Cathrine, somewhere only Midii knew he'd be.  
  
"Heero," he said. "I really need to talk to her. Isn't there something you can do?"  
  
"Trowa, there's no way you're going back in there. You're too emotionally involved in this. No matter what you say you've got some kind of feelings for her and that's making this harder for the rest of us. Stay out of it or I'll revoke your privileges to even be in this building," Heero said.  
  
Trowa frowned and leaned against the wall with his arms folded, glaring at Heero. Duo was right, who died and put Heero in charge?  
  
"Besides, Quatre's in there with her now. Maybe he'll have better luck," Heero said and glancing at the one-way mirror.  
  
Heero narrowed his eyes a little as Trowa immediately went over to the one-way window and took up his usual post as he always did when Midii Une was being questioned. His feelings for her bordered on obsession, Heero thought, he really should consider just making him leave the colony altogether. No matter how much Trowa might deny it he cared for her, Heero was sure that he did. He wasn't being romantic, not in the least. Heero Yuy simply made it his business to notice anything that might adversely affect his mission.  
  
Trowa didn't even realize he was clenching his fists. Thoughts raced through his head, stupid, unimportant thoughts that he couldn't control.  
  
Quatre was sitting way too close to Midii, drying the tears on her cheeks with his handkerchief, even holding her hand.  
  
And Quatre thought Midii was beautiful. He'd said it many times and she was beautiful, so very beautiful. The tears only made her eyes shine brighter. What was it that was making her cry, Trowa wondered. Were the tears real or only another act? When she cried Trowa doubted even Heero over there wouldn't be tempted to hold her in his arms and make things right for her. And Quatre was so kind-hearted.  
  
The only reason Quatre hadn't been seeing her himself was because she worked for him, that was what he'd said. But she didn't work for him any more.  
  
Trowa wished he knew what they were saying, but the room was soundproof. His face felt hot and his heart burned painfully. He'd never felt it before so he didn't know what it was. Jealousy.  
  
Why would she talk to Quatre and not to him? Didn't she know that he was the one . . . the one that loved her? He couldn't love her not after what she'd done in the past and not after what she'd done had placed Cathrine in danger. He couldn't love her, but he did.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
"Isabela, I mean Midii. Sorry, I forgot for a minute," Quatre said softly. Midii sighed and didn't even bother to insist that she was Isabela. She hadn't thought Quatre would come see her, she was sure that he would despise her just like Trowa did, after she'd betrayed him like she had.  
  
He wiped the tears off her cheek with is handkerchief. "We're still friends, aren't we," he asked. "I miss you so much, the office is a mess. And I could talk to you about everything, even some things I couldn't even tell Trowa. You know what I mean."  
  
She nodded. She knew he meant Dorothy Catalonia.  
  
"Talk to me please Midii. You'd be helping a lot of people and I know you wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I know you're not that kind of woman. And I'll help you get started again when this is all over. Just help me now so I can do that for you," Quatre said, hoping she was listening. Since he'd mentioned Trowa he seemed to have lost her attention. She was silent a long time.  
  
"The EarthSphere Alliance," she said finally, so softly he had to lean closer to hear her. "They know that most of the Preventer bases are unmanned decoys meant to discourage attacks on the more remote colonies. I know which ones those are and that's where they plan to attack first."  
  
Quatre squeezed her hand. "See," he said. "I knew you'd help us. Do they have the information, did you tell anyone?"  
  
She shook her head. He touched her wet cheek and looked in her eyes.  
  
"It's going to be alright, we can stop them, we can call up extras and man all the bases," he said. "Thank you so much!"  
  
"There's one more thing," Quatre said. "What about you and Trowa? I'll talk to him if you want. I'll make him see you've changed. Or maybe you should talk to him now, I'm sure he's out there. Talk to him Midii, you two need to give yourselves another chance."  
  
"No," she said. "I don't want to see Trowa."  
  
She was already regretting having told Quatre what she did. His trusting nature and obvious belief that she had some good in her somewhere had made her say things she should never have said. When they found out, her life wouldn't be worth living. And no one close to her would be safe.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So what's the deal," Duo asked as Trowa drove him away from the space port.   
  
"It's a former OZ building," Trowa said. "So you should be familiar with the cells, same thing as on the lunar base practically."  
  
"Ahh, the good old days," Duo said. "Except this time we're dealing with Heero and not a bunch of OZ idiots. We need to short out the surveillance cameras and then work fast. What did she say when you told her?"  
  
"Told her?" Trowa said.  
  
"You didn't tell her we were breaking in tonight," Duo said, looking at Trowa in disbelief. He spotted a hardware store and a drug store in a shopping plaza ahead. "Hey, pull in there, I'm gonna need some more supplies. Didn't tell her. Shit."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was amazing how Duo worked, even in his anxiety over Cathrine, Trowa couldn't help but be impressed. They only had to knock out one guard and that was it. Duo snipped a few wires and the security system was disabled.  
  
"Glad you called me, aren't you," Duo said.  
  
"We're not out of here yet," Trowa answered.  
  
Duo put his head to the door and listened. "Okay, either this is the wrong door or she's asleep. Perfect."  
  
Duo fumbled around in his hair for a split second and pulled out a hairpin. He noticed Trowa looking at him strangely. "Hey," he said. "These things come in handy, I never leave home without'em."  
  
The door opened silently and the two perpetrators looked in.  
  
"That her?" Duo whispered. "Don't want to grab the wrong girl. Whoa, she's not too hard on the eyes. You sure you're not doing this for personal reasons, pal?"  
  
"I'm doing this for my sister, that's all," Trowa whispered back. "I guess I better wake her up, I hope she doesn't scream."  
  
"No way," Duo said, grabbing his arm. "Just leave Sleeping Beauty there alone, it's much better if she stays asleep. In fact, we're going to make sure of that."  
  
Midii heard the voices and opened her eyes to see someone standing over her. The Alliance, she thought, panic making her heart race. They found her already. She started to sit up and opened her mouth to scream but the figure grabbed her and clamped a damp rag over her nose and mouth stifling the scream. She struggled and hit at the man, she felt her nails rake across his face before she passed out.  
  
"Shit, owww, she got me," Duo groaned, dropping her back on the bed and touching his face. "Is it bleeding? Oh man Hilde's going to kill me. You'll have to explain how this happened Trowa, she'll never buy the real story."  
  
Trowa ignored Duo. What the hell had he done to her? He went over and sat beside her on the bed and tried to wake her up but she was out cold. He got up and pushed Duo up against the wall. "What did you do," he said. "Is she alright?"  
  
"I just knocked her out for a little while. You didn't tell her we were coming after all," Duo said. "Calm down, she'll be fine. You didn't expect us to drag some kicking, screaming and I might add, clawing, girl out of here and not have Heero or Wufei notice something a bit odd about that?"  
  
"I suppose you're right," Trowa said. "But you should have told me."  
  
"Whatever," Duo said. "I didn't think you wanted all the gory details. You better carry her out of here. If she wakes up I don't want to get scratched again, but don't worry she'll be out at least an hour."  
  
Trowa picked her up, it made him uneasy how limp and unresponsive she was. He couldn't help but shake her a little.  
  
"Are you sure she's okay, Duo" he asked again. "Maybe we should get her to the hospital."  
  
Duo was exasperated, this was getting old, he knew what he was doing.  
  
"Just let me know if she stops breathing, until then don't panic," he joked, before noticing the look on Trowa's face. "I'm just kidding okay and don't try to wake her up, she's gonna have one helluva headache when she comes to and women with headaches are no fun at all. Trust me on this one buddy."  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . Someone's hot on Trowa, Duo and Midii's trail . . . Stefan tries to get Cathrine to like him . . . Duo gives a romantic speech (awwwww)  
  
  



	8. Alone/Together: Chapter 7

Alone/Together  
  
by Midii Une  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"you were too close for comfort, you were too far out of reach"  
--Enrique Iglesias  
  
It was still there, despite the random turns he kept making to shake the motorcycle it was still behind them. Duo was sure they were being followed. But how? He had been perfect dammit. If Heero caught up with them now he'd have to pull on all the strings that only a best friend could to get out of this one.  
  
And Duo hated groveling. He didn't want to run into Heero until he and Trowa had everything wrapped up. Heh, then he'd see why he should have called in Shinigami at the first hint of trouble!  
  
He glanced back again. The biker was starting to close in.   
  
Duo nudged Trowa and gestured toward the rearview mirror.  
  
"See that," he said. "Someone's after us already, hold on I'm gonna floor this thing."  
  
Trowa made sure his gun was beside him then pulled Midii, who was still unconscious and leaning heavily against his shoulder, into his arms.  
  
The tires screeched as Duo laughed and pulled a 360 degree turn before ending back up facing the startled motorcyclist, then he raced back in the direction they'd come before starting to take every turn they came to at an alarming rate of speed.  
  
The motorcyclist cursed, spun around and revved up the bike, the eyes beneath the helmet visor narrowing in irritation and determination.  
  
*******  
  
Stefan's eyes narrowed in frustration. She was ignoring him. They were stuck together for a while and they might as well enjoy themselves, but she didn't see it that way. Cathrine leaned against the wall, her arms folded over her chest and peered at Stefan through her reddish-brown bangs. Her violet eyes were full of suspicion and apprehension.   
  
He'd said he wouldn't touch her and so far he'd been true to his word. But still . . . there was something about him that made her heart pound with a mixture of fear and something else. There were times when the caress of those deep brown eyes and the obvious desire that he didn't bother to hide made Cathrine wonder what it might be like if he did kiss her.  
  
*******  
  
Trowa glanced out the back window and saw the single headlight of the motorcycle far in the distance but closing in. They were out of the city and on a dark, deserted road.   
  
"He's still back there," he told Duo, picking up his gun and checking the cartridge, slamming it back in with a click. "We have to confront whoever it is. We can't keep this up and this is as good a place as any. Looks like there's a lake up ahead, pull in there."  
  
"Shit," Duo hissed, but Trowa was right. Duo hoped to hell it was the Alliance because he'd much rather face one of them right now than Heero and he'd have a lot fewer qualms about blowing one of them away.  
  
The tires squealed as the car pulled into a gravel lot. Trowa and Duo looked at each other, not needing any words to form a plan. Duo got out and Trowa laid Midii back on the carseat, she made a soft sound of protest when he let go of her that tugged at his heart. He reached out a hand to smooth the hair out of her face then thought better of it. He joined Duo in the parking lot.  
  
The biker stopped a few hundred yards away, seeming to be considering the next move. Then the motorcycle screamed to life again and pulled into the lot, spinning dramatically on the gravel.  
  
"Take off your helmet buddy," Duo ordered aiming his gun at the rider. "You better have a damn good explanation for following us."  
  
The biker pulled the helmet off revealing familiar, tousled, midnight-black hair and a pair of bright blue eyes sparkling angrily.  
  
"H-Hilde!?!?" Duo shrieked. He blinked his eyes in disbelief.  
  
"You're going to tell me what you've gotten yourself into right now Duo," Hilde said. "And then we're going home. How could you run off like this without telling me? What were you two up to at Preventers HQ anyway? I couldn't get close enough without blowing your cover."  
  
"Hilde," Duo said again, still trying to get the concept of her presence to penetrate his brain. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"That's exactly what I just asked you," she said. "Tell me right now or I swear I'll contact Heero."  
  
She held up a cell phone and waved it at her wayward husband threateningly.  
  
"Argh, no, don't do that," Duo protested. "It's for a good cause. Honest. Tell her Trowa."  
  
Suddenly Hilde got a good look at Duo's face in the beam of the car's headlights. "Oh gosh Duo," she said, rushing over to him and examining the four long scratches on the left side of his face. "What happened to your face?"  
  
Duo put his hand up to the back of his head, looked down at the ground and sighed. "It's a long story," he said.  
  
Hilde folded her arms and started to tap her foot. It looked like he'd been tangling with an angry cat. Or another woman. She frowned. "I can wait all night," she said.  
  
The way Duo told a story this probably would take all night, Trowa thought. He'd better leave the two of them alone and check on Midii. Until she woke up they had no idea where they were headed anyway.  
  
He looked at her lying there, she had curled up on her left side with one hand curled under her cheek. She'd slept that way when she was a little girl he knew, he'd watched her sometimes at night from across the room. Trowa shook his head to clear the memories. She sighed softly as the cool air flowed into the car through the open door. He picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled her head into his shoulder. Trowa closed his eyes and put his face in her hair, almost forgetting Cathrine for a moment. She felt so right in his arms, just like he remembered.  
  
Midii's eyelids blinked slowly and heavily. It was cold, she thought, and her head was pounding horribly. Close by she could hear the sound of water softly lapping at the shore and even closer the sound of a heartbeat. Then she remembered. Her eyes flew open in terror.  
  
"Let me go," she shrieked, pushing against the man who held her. Trowa was so surprised he dropped her.  
  
"Oooh," Midii said, the breath going out of her for a second from the fall. She grabbed onto the car to push herself up and her hand closed on a gun. "Thank God," she thought swiftly. If there was only one of them she had a chance. She held the gun in front of her and looked up at the kidnapper.  
  
"You," she said, pulling herself up and glancing around for an escape route. But the car was at her back and he was in front of her. "Why are you doing this?"  
  
She put her hand to her head and swayed dizzily, catching onto the car door to keep her balance. Trowa was beside her in an instant, efficiently taking the gun out of her unsteady hand. "Are you okay," he asked.  
  
"I'll live," she said as she fell forward a little, catching onto his shirt. She couldn't help leaning her head on his chest, she felt like the horizon that was just starting to brighten in the distance was tipping ever so slightly and somehow she knew that he wouldn't let her fall again and as if in answer to her thoughts his arms automatically tightened around her.  
  
Hilde glanced over Duo's shoulder. "Who's that," she said. "What's going on over there?"  
  
"I forget her name," Duo said, glancing sharply at Trowa. "But I have a feeling we can just call her Trouble."  
  
******  
  
Heero stared at the empty bed. He knew Trowa had to be responsible for this but he had no idea why the other pilot would attempt such an idiotic scheme now. The safest place for Midii Une was under lock and key. She wouldn't last very long outside that was for sure, the Alliance wasn't the type of organization to forgive a traitor. What the hell was Trowa thinking? Something crunched under his foot. Heero looked down and picked up a metal hairpin.   
  
Duo.  
  
Well, there was his explanation for idiotic scheme, he thought. Unconsciously his lips turned up in a grim little smile. Ever since he'd first met Duo they'd been at odds over something or other. Annoying as it was there was always a certain satisfaction in matching wits with the self-proclaimed God of Death.  
  
Heero planned to kick his intelligence network into priority alert. It wouldn't take long for someone to spot a trio like that he was sure. Not one of the three was the type to blend into a crowd.  
  
"Heero," Quatre said, interrupting Yuy's thoughts and earning himself a cold glare. "Maybe Trowa knows what he's doing. Maybe we should just stay out of this. Those two need some time alone to work things out."  
  
"Trowa's love life isn't my concern," Heero said. "But at least one thing good might come of this, when they discover she's out there the Alliance is sure to make a move. And if we can catch up with them we'll be right there when they do."  
  
Quatre couldn't help but agree with Heero on that. It was too dangerous of a situation for the three of them alone to handle. Trowa really hadn't been thinking clearly. Quatre was glad Duo was along to help him out, but he was a little hurt that Trowa hadn't come to him. He thought suddenly of Dorothy. But then again, he'd been keeping his own secrets, hadn't he?  
  
******  
  
The dizziness was starting to pass slowly and Midii realized to her embarrassment that her hands were fisted in Trowa's shirt and her face was pressed up against his chest. Her lips were not an inch away from the bare skin peeking out from his open collar and his arms were holding her so tightly against him that their bodies fit snugly together. "We fit together so perfectly," she thought. "But why, why is he doing this?"  
  
She moved a little and her head throbbed sickeningly from the aftereffect of whatever he'd drugged her with. She remembered her terror and that she did have good cause to be afraid, especially now, out in the open like this. She'd told Quatre everything and someone would be sure to notice that the bases were being reinforced. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that that someone had been her.  
  
Midii tried to pull out of Trowa's grasp but she didn't get very far. She looked up into those green eyes and their gazes held a moment before reality crashed in and she spoke venomously.  
  
"What the hell possessed you to pull a stunt like this," she asked. "You'd better take me back to your friends right now or our lives won't be worth living."  
  
She tried harder to pull away and he let her go, her sharp words reminding him exactly what they were doing out here in the middle of nowhere. Midii turned away and leaned against the car with her aching head buried in her arms.  
  
"Where is Stefan Niente," he asked her, trying to suppress his anger.  
  
Midii was silent a moment. She decided to play dumb, Stefan was certainly in enough trouble already. He had let her down it was true but she wouldn't betray him for that. They had been through too much together. If Trowa believed she would double-cross her partner he was mistaken.  
  
"Who," she asked innocently.  
  
Trowa clenched his fists and forced himself to maintain some kind of control. "Just tell the truth for once in your life Midii," he said, his voice tense. "This is important. He has my sister."  
  
She turned to look at him.  
  
"Cathrine," she said weakly, cursing the headache that made her feel so stupid. And now the pain in her head seemed to increase. Damn Stefan, why had he brought Cathrine into this? Didn't he know the Alliance was going to hunt them down? Then she realized that he couldn't know that she'd told. He would have trusted her to keep quiet.  
  
"Say something," Trowa insisted. "You keep showing up in my life trying to destroy everything I ever cared about. You at least owe me an answer, don't you think?"  
  
Midii tried to concentrate on where Stefan could be hiding out and then it came to her. There was a place. A safe place where they'd always met up when they got separated during the war. Stefan's family was there and had welcomed them both always, without fail, no questions asked. She could see the cliffs rising from the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean and always the vision brought a measure of peace with it. The island of Corsica. Stefan would be there she was sure waiting to meet her, that must be his plan.  
  
"Earth," she said at last, as Trowa leaned closer to catch her faint words. "We have to get to Earth."  
  
********   
  
"It's so beautiful," Cathrine said. She couldn't help but admire the view as the sailboat Stefan had "borrowed" entered the harbor of Bonaficio, a tranquil city on the southern tip of Corsica. Stony cliffs rose up sharply from the aqua-blue water. She trailed her fingers in the sea that was as warm as bath water.  
  
"Makes you feel romantic, doesn't it Gorgeous," Stefan said, sliding his fingers up her bare arm.  
  
"Behave yourself Stefan," she said flipping sea water at him with her fingers, but her eyes danced with a bit of amusement as he dropped his hand and looked at her with the eyes of a sad puppy dog. He was quite hard to resist. She had never experienced something like this, sailing on a lovely calm sea with the sun bright and white-hot overhead.   
  
"This is where I grew up," Stefan said, skillfully navigating the boat into the dock. "I couldn't wait to leave and find some action. But still there's something about coming home."  
  
"Why do you do these things," Cathrine asked suddenly. "Why won't you leave Midii alone? I know her, I know she wants to start her life over again. You could do it too you know."  
  
Stefan laughed until tears appeared at the edges of his long black lashes.  
  
"Midii probably believes that little story herself. But this is what she was born to do. It's what I was born to do. Everybody has a purpose in this life and this is what we're good at. I do these things because I'm good at it Gorgeous. It's exciting and I make a splash in the big scheme of things. I didn't want to waste my life on this island when so much was going on in the world," Stefan explained. "I wouldn't take your so-called normal life on a bet. I'll live this sort of life until I die. Hell, I'll probably die doing it."  
  
Cathrine shook her head. He was unreachable. Stefan Niente saw nothing wrong with a life of lies, betrayal and being constantly on the run. He enjoyed it.  
  
He jumped out onto the dock and pulled Cathrine up next to him. He pulled a little harder than necessary so she stumbled up against him.  
  
"Besides," he purred softly, "in this line of work I'm forced to spend my time with lovely ladies like you."  
  
Stefan bent his head to hers. He knew she was starting to be attracted to him, but she turned her head away at the last second. He sighed and took her firmly by the hand. If only he had more time with her, he should have told Nanashi three weeks, not three days, but he couldn't leave Midii in the hands of Preventers that long. She was like an annoying younger sister, they didn't always get along but when things got bad he'd be there for her without fail.  
  
"Come on Gorgeous," he said to Cathrine. "We've got special plans for tomorrow night and I'm gonna buy you the sexiest, most expensive dress we can find."  
  
*******  
  
"Corsica," Trowa thought, there had been an Alliance base there years ago, he and Quatre had destroyed it during the war. He certainly hadn't taken the time to look at the scenery. Hilde wasn't hiding her excitement about traveling. It was her first time on Earth. She was practically jumping up and down as Midii pointed out the landmarks to her as the approached the island on a ferry boat from France.   
  
"Gosh, it's just gorgeous," Hilde squealed, clasping her hands together. "What's that island back there in the distance?"  
  
"That's Sardinia," Midii answered. "On a clear day you can see it from Bonaficio. That's where we're headed."  
  
"I'm not worried about the weather," Trowa said. "I'm more worried about Niente and Cathrine."  
  
"It's not Stefan we should be worried about," Midii insisted. "He wouldn't hurt her, I'm sure of it. But the Alliance is sure to hold him responsible for the failure of our mission, he's a target. That's where the danger lies."  
  
She glanced over at him. The bright sun that seemed ever-present in the Mediterranean picked out reddish highlights in his hair, the breeze coming off the sea fluttered his hair back giving her a good look at those emerald eyes. They'd kept their distance from each other as best they could since leaving the colony. She sighed unconsciously as Duo came up behind Hilde and wrapped her in his arms, nuzzling at her neck until she giggled and told him to behave himself. Midii glanced at Trowa again and flushed red. She looked back down at the deck of the ferry, he'd been looking at her too.  
  
"What's with those two," Duo whispered in Hilde's ear. "He has a thing for her I know it. But they're acting like they hate each other. Totally weird!"  
  
*********  
  
Pagan, the elderly butler who had served the Peacecraft family for countless years, waited patiently at the pick-up counter at the Southern European Spaceport. Some important documents were arriving for Miss Relena to sign.  
  
Pagan sighed. Poor Miss Relena had seemed unhappy lately. Her 18th birthday had come and gone and with no notice by Heero Yuy. Pagan knew that that was the one time Miss Relena could always count on being contacted by the Gundam pilot. But this year there had been nothing. No teddy bear, no bouquet of daisies, no terse note. Nothing at all.  
  
Suddenly the old man's head swerved as a group of young men in uniform passed through the spaceport. He noticed they were headed for the terminal with flight connections to Corsica. He also noticed that one of them was Heero Yuy.  
  
*******  
  
Being a spy, disguising one's self, it couldn't be that difficult. Probably anyone could do it. This Isabela Niente or Midii Une or whomever was certainly no one special. . There was nothing to it really, Dorothy thought as she patted her long, pale hair twisted into a bun removed her dark sunglasses.  
  
There was no way she was going to stay up on the colonies while Quatre went to Earth. He was her only reason for being on the colonies anyway, Earth was her personal choice. And it was home. She congratulated herself that although she'd always been on the same shuttle and now on the same flight as her beloved he'd never noticed her.   
  
Of course she was traveling first class while the Preventers settled for business. She delicately accepted a glass of champagne from the flight attendant. "Grazie," she said in fluent Italian as she took a sip.  
  
******  
  
A dark-haired boy, about 12 years old, carefully watched the passengers disembark the ferry from the mainland. There she was, Signorina Midii. The sun was shining on her beautiful golden hair. It had been years since she'd been to Corsica but he'd never forgotten her. Even though he'd only been nine he knew that Signorina Midii was the loveliest and the most exciting woman in the world. His cousin Stefan didn't think so, but then, he was a fool. Anton Niente jumped lightly off the roof of the low building and dashed toward the dock.  
  
"Signorina Midii," he said, grabbing her hand and kissing it with a dramatic flourish, the way he'd always seen his cousin do with the ladies. "Welcome back to Corsica."   
  
The boy quickly handed her a bouquet of wildflowers and a note. He took off running before she could even speak. Anton shouted at her over his shoulder. "The note is from Stefan. But the flowers, they are from me." He disappeared easily into the crowd before Trowa or Duo could even think of chasing after him.  
  
Midii couldn't help but smile at the warm welcome. Anton had always been an adorable child, but too much like his cousin. Stefan was a bad influence.  
  
Trowa noticed her smile. He realized that she didn't smile very often, but when she did it was like the sun breaking through the clouds. He frowned. She was probably happy she was going to see Stefan Niente again. What exactly was their relationship anyway, he wondered.  
  
Duo looked after the boy, who had so easily disappeared. He reminded him a little of himself at that age. He sighed, there wasn't any point in trying to go after him now. A kid like that could hide himself forever on these crowded streets jammed with people. They could have used the lead on Niente too. It was always better to make the first move, he didn't like waiting for the enemy to tell them what to do.  
  
Hilde had the only sensible idea in the whole group.  
  
"Midii," she said, bursting with curiosity. "Open the note and see what it says."  
  
"Heh," Duo said. "Good one Hilde. At least one of us is thinking around here."  
  
Midii looked at the note. It contained just the barest information. "Tomorrow. Il Ritmo de la Mare."  
  
Anton Niente wasn't the only one expecting Midii's arrival on Corsica.  
  
"There she is. I've got a clear shot," the gunman said, watching her through the sights of his rifle on a nearby rooftop.  
  
"Where," Mezzo asked trying to spot her with a pair of binoculars. "And is Niente with her?"  
  
"I don't see him down there. She's wide open Mezzo, I'm taking that little turncoat out," he said, pulling the trigger.  
  
Mezzo kicked at the rifle so the shot went harmlessly into the air.  
  
"Not yet," he said, narrowing his eyes furiously. "If we take her out now Niente will go so far underground we'll never track him down. She's not going anywhere, we can wait. Besides I want to talk to her first and shooting is too easy of a death for a traitor like her."  
  
Midii looked back over her shoulder, she could have sworn she heard a gunshot, but it was hard to tell over the noise of the crowd at the dock.  
  
"Il Ritmo de la Mare," Hilde repeated dreamily. This adventure was so romantic. She was glad she'd followed Duo. He hadn't been thrilled to have her come along. He thought it was too dangerous. But they were partners weren't they? Together forever, for better or worse. She squeezed his hand in excitement, this was like the honeymoon they'd never bothered to take. This place was so beautiful and thrilling.  
  
"The Rhythm of the Sea," Midii and Trowa translated, speaking at the same time. They glanced at each other and then away again.  
  
Duo rolled his eyes. What was with those two, he wondered. He definitely had to have a talk with Trowa. Couldn't he see that Miss Trouble liked him? Really liked him. Duo grinned, maybe old Trowa didn't understand about the birds and the bees yet. After all it didn't really matter which side a girl was on, if you cared about her. Look at him and Hilde for instance. Who would have ever matched up a Gundam pilot and an OZ recruit? But they were perfect for each other. He'd known it from the moment he first saw her in that tight little uniform of hers.  
  
*******  
  
"Pagan are you positive it was Heero," Relena asked for the thousandth time.  
  
"Yes, Miss Relena. It was definitely Mr. Yuy and I also believe Mr. Winner and Mr. Chang were accompanying him. They were taking a flight to the Island of Corsica," Pagan explained patiently in return.  
  
Relena leaned her chin in her hand and looked out over the Mediterranean Sea. The breathtaking expanse of blue water that often remained unnoticed beyond the huge picture window behind her desk. She was often too busy to even look. She smiled a little as she remembered how she had often scolded her foster father, Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian for being too busy to spend time with her. Well she was Vice Foreign Minister Dorlian now and she was twice as busy as her beloved father had ever been. The business of peace was much more time-consuming than war. Discussions took so much time and patience it had been so much quicker just to blast something when factions disagreed.  
  
But now Heero was out there somewhere, just out of sight in the distance. Corsica wasn't far, it was one of the Cinq Kingdom's closest neighbors.   
  
Relena made a decision. She was tired of the bizarre courting rituals of the Gundam pilot. It was time to take matters into her own hands. She was going to Corsica. She was finally going to confront Heero.  
  
*******  
  
The next afternoon Midii and Hilde sat on the balcony of the hotel room soaking up the sun and sipping the local red wine Midii had insisted they pick up at one of the little shops they had passed. That and a big bar of handmade lavender soap. She sighed, closed her eyes and turned her face up to the sun. It felt like she was herself again. A long, hot shower and a good night's sleep did wonders for your mood, she thought.. Suddenly she sat up and frowned, looking down at the now-grungy blue cotton dress she wore and biting her lip.  
  
"What's wrong Midii," Hilde asked, glancing at the other girl. "You look like you just thought of something."  
  
"I did," Midii admitted. "This is probably going to sound amazingly stupid, but I need to get out of here. Are you with me?"  
  
Hilde stared at her and glanced through the closed French doors at Duo and Trowa who were engrossed in playing with their weapons and only occasionally taking time out to look up and see if the girls were still there. Where would they go after all?  
  
"What do you mean," Hilde asked, wondering if she should call Duo, Midii seemed to definitely be up to something, she was so nice and fun to be with that she almost had forgotten she was the enemy.  
  
"We have to go shopping," Midii said significantly. "They won't let us in Il Ritmo de la Mare dressed like this."  
  
"Shopping," Hilde repeated slowly and thoughtfully, her resolve to call Duo suddenly weakening. There were few temptations that Hilde couldn't resist, but shopping was unfortunately one of them.  
  
Midii looked at Hilde appraisingly. "I think you should wear something in silver or maybe gray, with your coloring. We have to look fabulous tonight," she said, seeing the spark of interest in Hilde's eyes. "Ooooh, wait till Duo sees you. I'll give you a makeover Hilde guaranteed to make his eyes pop out of his head."  
  
Hilde's eyes widened and Midii suppressed a grin. She had her. Hilde's blue eyes sparkled with mischief. She and Midii looked at each other and nodded. Luckily the balcony was only on the second floor and there was a convenient awning placed beneath it.  
  
The next time Duo and Trowa glanced out the window the balcony was empty.  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . everybody shows up for a night of romance at El Ritmo de La Mare . . . what does the Alliance have hidden at the ruins of the old Corsica base . . . what does Mezzo plan to do to Midii . . . and Duo's romantic speech finally shows up, delayed from this chapter ^_~ gomen, but it was running too long!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Alone/Together: Chapter 8

Alone/Together  
  
By Midii Une  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"shouldn't be so complicated  
just hold me and then  
just hold me again"  
--Rob Thomas  
  
  
  
  
"Trowa calm down man, don't blow a gasket," Duo said, but his voice was unsure and a little wavery. "Hilde knows what she's doing . . . I hope . . . shit."  
  
Duo peered over the railing of the balcony, the canvas awning below was obviously a little worse for wear. Their escape route was obvious, but that was the only clue. Hilde and little Miss Trouble could be anywhere by now. He muttered a few more choice curses under his breath.  
  
"Dammit Hilde what were you thinking," he thought.  
  
Trowa glared out over the city of Bonaficio, a jumble of buildings, tangled streets and people. He couldn't believe he'd trusted her to just stay there. But she had lulled both him and Duo into a false sense of security by being so damned cooperative, so sympathetic about Cathrine. He didn't know how she'd managed to get Hilde to go with her but he swore that he would never be surprised by anything she did after this. She must have set something up with Niente somehow. The streets here were full of her allies, his glare intensified remembering that kid and his flowers, her smile. Her beautiful smile. There was danger out there too, the Alliance would be on her trail by now.  
  
"Dammit Midii what were you thinking," he thought.  
  
A blur of motion crossed Duo's line of vision as Trowa suddenly stepped up on the narrow balcony railing and jumped off, turned a somersault in midair, landed on his feet on the sidewalk and took off running. A few people passing by stopped and applauded.  
  
"Sheesh," Duo groaned. "Doesn't that guy ever take an elevator? Ooooookay, I guess I'll just wait here in case they come back, Trowa buddy. If that's alright with you."  
  
He sighed. Trowa was too much like Heero. He never talked, just acted.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Heero, Quatre and Wufei were drinking coffee at an outdoor cafe on a sunny street corner discussing strategy. Heero was in a foul mood, they had traced them here to Corsica but that was it, he didn't even know if they were still here on the island. "Duo," he thought. "This isn't a game, you baka. Where the hell are you?"  
  
The streets were full of people, it was only an island, but they could be anywhere and it was no use searching aimlessly, Heero thought. A pair of giggling girls passed by the table, their heads together and talking non-stop. His frown deepened, in the mood he was in laughter was intensely irritating. Then he stared after them. One of the girls was slender with familiar black hair and the other one was a blonde wearing a very familiar-looking blue dress.  
  
That was Hilde Maxwell.  
  
And Midii Une was with her.  
  
Wufei noticed too. Midii Une. He'd never forget her and her stupid luck getting a hit on him. She was probably laughing about him right now, he knew it, that's what she and Maxwell's woman were giggling about. He stood up and yanked his gun out of the holster hidden under his jacket. Heero put a hand on his arm and shook his head.  
  
"For now we'll just follow," he ordered, Quatre had already caught on to Heero's strategy and was carefully crossing the street to cover that angle. "Be careful she's good, she'll notice anything suspicious."  
  
"And Wufei," he added.  
  
Wufei looked at him impatiently.  
  
"Be careful not to touch," Heero said, unable to resist pushing the other pilot's buttons. Like it or not, a little bit of Duo had rubbed off on him over the years.  
  
Wufei was right. He actually was the source of Hilde and Midii's amusement.  
  
Hilde gasped with laughter and her eyes watered. "I know I shouldn't say this but I'm kind of glad you shot him. As long as it wasn't serious. I'd have loved to see his face," she said. "Wufei really gets on my nerves. It's like he doesn't know my name. He never says hello. He just mutters 'woman' and looks at me like I'm a worm or something."  
  
Midii laughed as Hilde's face contorted into a creditable imitation of the glare of the Chinese pilot. Then she sighed, Trowa would be angry at her for this, but they needed clothes. Il Ritmo de la Mare was a special place and she had a feeling this was going to be one of the most important nights in her life. Her smile faded, dreading his anger, but then what did it matter. After tonight she'd be back with Stefan or maybe even dead, at the very least they would have to disappear for a very long time. All this time spent with Trowa and nothing was resolved between them. She silently berated herself, what did she expect. There was no future with him, there never had been.  
  
Hilde noticed the shadow cross Midii's face. She thought about what she and Duo had come to realize. Trowa and Midii were in love. She wondered how long the two of them were going to continue being so stubborn about denying it. Maybe something would happen tonight. At Il Ritmo de la Mare . . .   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Trowa entered the hotel room, he was alone, announcing his presence to Duo with a resounding slam of the door.  
  
"Nothing, huh," Duo asked. Trowa didn't answer, he only went and leaned against the wall. To tell the truth Duo was starting to get seriously worried, it had been hours. If anything had happened to Hilde he'd kill Midii Une himself and Trowa be damned. What the hell could they be doing? There was only one thing that ever kept Hilde out of the house this long at home. Shopping.   
  
"Shopping," Duo said aloud, the sudden realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.  
  
"What," Trowa said, looking up. "What are you talking about?  
  
He really wasn't in the mood for one of Duo's weird monologues right now. Something must have happened to her, he couldn't find her anywhere. What if he never saw her again? And if anything had happened to Hilde he'd never be able to forgive himself for getting her and Duo involved in this mess. Midii was going to cost him everything again, his sister, his friends . . . but somehow, uppermost in his mind was the thought that she was in trouble, she needed him . . . and he couldn't find her.  
  
"I said shopping," Duo said. "I bet they went shopping."  
  
Almost on cue the door swung open and the two culprits came in. They stopped short when they noticed Trowa and Duo staring at them angrily.   
  
"Uh oh," Hilde said, she'd known it was coming, but it had been worth it.  
  
Trowa's relief was so intense he almost smiled. Almost. She was back, she had come back. She was safe.  
  
"Midii," he said, walking over to her, then his face clouded with anger. He grabbed her arm, ignoring the startled looks on everyone's faces, pulled her into the bedroom and slammed the door, clicking the lock.  
  
"Well," Duo chuckled. "It's about time!"  
  
"Tr-Trowa," Midii stuttered. She was shocked by his behavior, he always showed so much self-control, he always acted so cold.  
  
He shoved her so she fell down on the bed and he leaned over her.  
  
"Shut up," he said, his face close to hers, his green eyes sparking furiously.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
White was definitely her color.  
  
It made her look even more like an angel, Stefan thought. And to him she really was. Spending just these few days with the lovely and innocent Cathrine Bloom had affected his outlook on life a little. Sure he'd laughed at her when she suggested he consider turning his life around. He'd never even considered it a possibility before but there was something about her. Her sweet trusting nature, her odd belief that even someone like him had redeeming qualities and could start with a clean slate, if he wanted to. Well maybe he could. A slightly wistful smile appeared on Stefan's face, one that would have shocked anyone who knew him well. He smiled wider, the look on his face would have knocked Midii, who knew him better than anyone, right over. He thought that he might be falling in love. Falling in love with Cathrine. He watched her admire herself in the mirror, the elegant lines of the dress accentuating her marvelous figure. It might be worth it to change, to win the heart of a girl like her.  
  
"Cathrine," he said, his voice sultry with desire. "I might just consider keeping you, the way you look tonight."  
  
She blushed and turned her head. This was a nightmare and yet it seemed like a dream too. A handsome, sensual, dangerous man who admired her so much. He made her feel exciting and beautiful. Just like the romance novels she read on those long shuttle trips when the circus traveled from place to place. And when Stefan moved to touch his lips to hers Cathrine reached up her hand and touched his cheek.  
  
She let him kiss her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Quatre updated Heero and Wufei on what he had found out following Midii and Hilde on their shopping trip that afternoon. Actually he was surprised himself that he found out so much, it was amazing how much the two of them liked to talk. He'd heard a few choice comments about Wufei that he wouldn't be repeating and Quatre blushed a little remembering some of the things Hilde had revealed to Midii about herself and Duo and some of the embarrassing things they'd done together. He hadn't realized women talked about things like that together. In a way he was grateful Dorothy was so aristocratic and secretive, she certainly would never tell anybody the things they did, he hoped. He couldn't picture it.  
  
Heero drummed his fingers on his folded arms, trying to hide his impatience. Quatre had just zoned out there for a minute. They were congregated in front of the hotel they had followed Midii and Hilde too. He glanced up at the building, Duo and Trowa must be in there somewhere. Their little game was just about up.  
  
"Go on Quatre," Heero prompted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Relena stood on the balcony of her hotel room leaning her arms on the railing and looking out over the city of Bonaficio. Heero was here on this island somewhere but how would she ever find him. She sighed. This place was so lovely and peaceful, so romantic too. If only she could find Heero, how she'd love to walk through the streets with her arm pulled cozily through his. She imagined herself resting her head on his shoulder. They would drink wine at an outdoor cafe and eventually wander back to her hotel room. She'd give him the key and he'd open the door for her and then . . .  
  
"Go on Quatre," she suddenly heard his voice say. Heero's voice. She'd know it anywhere. She leaned far over the railing and almost called out when she saw him standing there. But she decided to afford herself the luxury of just looking at him for awhile. The setting sun was casting a rosy glow over his deep brown hair. The breeze from the sea nearby was ruffling his hair slightly as he stood there with his arms folded, an impatient look on his face.  
  
"Oh God," Relena thought. "Heero, it's been so long."  
  
As always when she saw him her heart constricted with longing. She strained to hear what they were saying and she caught some of the words.  
  
"Il Ritmo de la Mare. Tonight," Heero said, repeating the information Quatre had given him.  
  
"Il Ritmo de la Mare. Tonight," Relena repeated softly to herself. He'd be so surprised.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The rosy glow of the sunset reflected in Dorothy's dark glasses as she stood around the corner of the building listening as Quatre updated his comrades on what he'd discovered. The sound of his voice reminded her how much she missed him. It was difficult being so close and not being able to touch him, Dorothy thought despondently. She was pathetic, disguising herself and following him around like this. But she couldn't have stood to wait alone on the colony. This mission sounded like it was becoming more complex and dangerous by the minute. Spies, hostages, the Alliance.  
  
Dorothy narrowed her eyes. She'd be there at this Il Ritmo de la Mare tonight. She'd find a way to extricate Quatre from this mess. Surely when he saw her he would realize there were more important things to do in life than chase after his deceitful little ex-secretary. She stretched a little and smiled, thinking of his kisses and the two of them alone together in a dark hotel room. Quatre wouldn't be at Il Ritmo de la Mare for very long tonight. Not if she had anything to say about it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Don't say anything. I mean it," Trowa said. "Don't bother telling me any more lies. I should never have trusted you, never let you out of my sight. You could have gotten Hilde killed and if I'd lost you I'd never see my sister again. Did you even think about that? When is this nightmare with you going to be over? I just want my life back, the way it was before you showed back up."  
  
"I knew what I was doing Trowa," she ventured softly, unable to tear her eyes away from his angry face. "I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't understand."  
  
He remained silent so she dared to continue.  
  
"There's something else, since honesty is so important to you. I let your Preventer friends pick up our trail. It could be dangerous tonight, I think you're going to need the backup. Quatre was following us, I made sure he heard all the details," she said, closing her eyes and turning her head away as he stared at her.  
  
He looked down at her, she was so close he could see each silky black eyelash against her pale cheeks. He frowned he hadn't meant to be this way, but she'd scared him. Trowa reached out his hand to touch her cheek, he should tell her. Tell her that she'd scared him, that he'd thought she was in trouble and that was why he'd lost his temper. She was the only one who had the power to make him lose it like that. Because he loved her.  
  
He wants me out of his life, he's never forgiven me for what happened when we were children and I don't blame him. All I ever do is bring him trouble. Why does it have to be this way, when I love him so much? She peeked at him from under her lashes and saw his distant look but not the hand reaching toward her. Midii rolled over on her side, turning away from him.  
  
"It'll all be over tonight Trowa," she said tiredly. "After Cathrine's safe I promise to stay out your life. For the rest of mine."  
  
Duo and Hilde, foreheads pressed against the bedroom door, looked at each other and groaned.  
  
"Trowa buddy, you just blew it big time," Duo whispered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Midii, are you okay," Hilde asked, closing her eyes and tilting her face up to the light as Midii applied her eye makeup. "You're being awfully quiet. What happened?"  
  
"I was thinking maybe you shouldn't come tonight," Midii said. "It really may be too dangerous Hilde. I wouldn't want to be responsible for any more people getting hurt."   
  
"No way," Hilde replied, inspecting her reflection in the mirror. "I wouldn't miss it. You're not responsible for what other people do Midii, despite what Trowa Barton might say."  
  
Midii stared at Hilde and Hilde blushed a little and looked at the carpet. She hadn't meant to let her know that they'd overheard their argument.   
  
"You look wonderful tonight Hilde," Midii said, ignoring her comment about Trowa.  
  
Hilde happily nodded her agreement, she would never have picked this dress for herself, she was always drawn to plain old pink and purple. Safe colors and she usually wore sweaters and leggings. But in this clinging dress of shimmering silver-gray she looked so different. She smiled, wait until Duo saw it. The front looked prim enough with a traditional jewel neckline, but the back of the dress plunged daringly low. Hilde peeked over her shoulder.  
  
"Nothing shows that shouldn't back there, does it," she asked Midii, who was pulling her hair away from her face into a knot while leaving most of it long and hanging down her back. She curled two long strands into ringlets with the curling iron they'd picked up and touched up her deep rose lipstick.  
  
"I think you're covered," Midii said, glancing at her. "Barely."  
  
She couldn't help but smile a little at Hilde's excitement and Duo's reaction when he saw how wonderful she looked. Hilde should dress up more often, Midii thought. She glanced at Trowa but he was ignoring them, looking out the window with his arms folded. Without realizing it she stared at him forlornly, wouldn't he even look at her, she wondered. Hilde poked Duo. "Say something nice to her," she whispered vehemently.  
  
"Hey Trouble, you look great," Duo said sincerely. He was married but that didn't mean he still couldn't appreciate other women. Especially other women in skintight, lowcut dresses. Trowa better get his act together or he'd lose her tonight, the way she looked.  
  
"Trouble," Midii said, questioningly and Hilde poked Duo again.   
  
Midii looked at the floor, a little embarrassed. That was all she'd ever been to anybody, trouble. Especially to Trowa. She wished this night were over, one way or another. Trowa turned from the window at the sound of her voice. He didn't know what to do to change what they'd both said in the bedroom. That wasn't what he wanted, was it? Duo was right she was trouble. But still . . . he hadn't imagined she could have ever looked better to him than she had on that first night he'd seen her again. But tonight, tonight . . . his emerald eyes lingered on her body in the simple midnight blue satin dress. Simple but devastating and so beautiful. If he could only have that moment back, he saw her on the bed beneath him. Heard her voice. "It could be dangerous tonight."  
  
The way she looked tonight was dangerous. He was in danger of forgetting everything and everyone else but her. He wouldn't let anything hurt her.   
  
"I swear I'll protect you," he promised silently, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from her before she could notice his look.  
  
*******  
  
Mezzo stared at her as she stepped out of the taxi in front of Il Ritmo de la Mare. He could take her right now if he wanted to, it would be so easy. Let her surround herself with the best Preventers had to offer. It wouldn't stop him. Before the night was over she'd be pleading with him to kill her, to put her out of her misery. He took a drag of his cigarette and looked at the burning tip and smiled. Eventually, he'd give in to her. Eventually. She should have known, should have known that traitors didn't get an easy death.  
  
When she and Niente were together again, then he'd make his move. That was how he worked, let Stefan deal with Preventers, he'd deal with Midii. He studied her as she stood under the lamppost, the soft light gleaming on that golden hair and the smooth satin of her dress. An amused smile crossed his face, leave it to Une to go out in style. He'd never seen her looking better. Both of them, Niente and Une, they'd loved the glamour of the business, thought they were too good to dirty their hands. The higher-ups thought they were something special but the rest of them knew they were just a couple of lucky kids who'd just never happened to get caught. It was time to show those two what it really meant to be intelligence operatives. He suspected they wouldn't like it one bit.  
  
*********  
  
"I don't like this Trowa, buddy. I don't like it one bit," Duo said, bending his head toward Trowa's and whispering to him. Trowa nodded agreement. The place was dark and smoky, there were lots of people and there were too many exits and little alcoves to hide in.  
  
"Oh Midii, it's perfect. So beautiful," Hilde said, bending her head toward Midii's and whispering to her. Midii nodded, she loved this place, she had been here so often during the war. The tiny votives glowing on every table, the open-air terrace on the cliff over the sea with the strings of tiny sparkling white lights glowing on the roof and railings. You could hear it's rhythm in the background always, like a backbeat to the music. The rhythm of the sea. Il Ritmo de la Mare.  
  
He spotted her. Stefan had said she would be coming. His wide, friendly smile broadened to unbelievable proportions. Signorina Midii was a little girl no longer, she had grown up very beautifully indeed. A pity his nephew didn't see that. Stefan was a smart boy but he could be very stupid sometimes. Ah well, no matter, she seemed to have found someone to take care of her. The tall one with the green eyes, he never took his eyes off her.  
  
"Signorina Midii," he shouted, grabbing her hands and planting loud wet kisses on both her cheeks. He held her at arms' length and looked at her with appreciative eyes. "Il Ritmo de la Mare has missed your presence. It shines brighter tonight because you have returned, and looking so exquisite too."  
  
Midii blushed. Stefan's uncle, Paolo Niente, tended to exaggerate. Everyone was his best friend. Every woman was the most beautiful he'd ever seen. His personality and the beautiful location made Il Ritmo de la Mare the popular nightspot it was.  
  
Paolo's eyes widened as he noticed Hilde. He greeted her as effusively as he had Midii. "Who is your beautiful friend, Signorina Midii," he asked. "Her eyes are bluer than the sea and in this dress she shines like the stars." He twirled Hilde around so he could see her better and his eyes widened at the sight of the back of her dress. "A beautiful and daring lady I see," he complimented her, kissing her hand.  
  
Duo and Trowa stared at Paolo. Who the hell was this guy? He had both Midii and Hilde blushing and giggling like schoolgirls.  
  
"Stefan told me to tell you he'll be here around midnight, Signorina Midii," Paolo said. "When he sees you like this perhaps he'll come to his senses and marry you, give you lotsa pretty babies. We all agree he couldn't find a better girl for a wife. Then you'll both settle down and stay here with us on Corsica!"  
  
Trowa looked like he was going to choke at that comment and Duo slapped him hard on the back.  
  
"Sorry mister," he said to Paolo, they had to get away from this guy before old Trowa blew a gasket, not to mention himself. If this old perv kissed Hilde one more time . . . "We gotta be looking for a table, so it was nice talking to you and all but . . ."  
  
Paolo grinned and draped a big arm over Duo's shoulder. "For Signorina Midii and her friends, the best table in the place. You are all friends of Paolo now," he said, pulling Duo along while the others followed, Hilde and Midii barely containing laughter at the sight of Duo's face. Even Trowa had to smirk.  
  
**********  
  
"Sorry sir, the club has reached maximum capacity. You'll have to wait out here, but I'd say your chances of getting in tonight are pretty low," the bouncer told Heero. Heero narrowed his eyes and scanned the room. There she was. "I'm with her," he told the bouncer. The bouncer widened his eyes and looked where he pointed then back at Heero, Wufei and Quatre. "Ahh, friends of Signorina Midii. Please step this way."  
  
Heero just pushed the man aside and strode in. He couldn't wait to see the look on Duo's face when he showed up.  
  
*******  
  
"WHAT," Duo nearly shrieked, he was still recovering from having that guy's big hairy arm around his neck. "Heero's comin' here tonight?"  
  
Midii nodded. "You've seen this place, for Cathrine's protection we need all the help we can get. It was the only way," she explained.  
  
Trowa couldn't help but be impressed by her logic, she did seem to know what she was doing. He wished he could trust her. If only this night were over and Cathrine were safe. Then he could concentrate. Concentrate on what to do about these feelings for Midii. How he ached to touch her. Her skin seemd to glow like the satin of her dress and it looked just as soft, maybe softer. And she was so close beside him.  
  
Midii scanned the room nervously. Even with Trowa and all his friends here she felt so vulnerable. She wanted to reach out and grab Trowa's hand, beg him to hold her and never let go. If he was holding her she wouldn't be so afraid. He doesn't care, she reminded herself, he's just counting the minutes until you're gone and then he can go back to his regular life.  
  
"Heero, hey," Duo called, waving cheerfully. Might as well act casual and normal, he was here now and he couldn't change that.  
  
"Duo. Trowa," Heero said. "If it wasn't for this turning out to be such a good plan I'd be very upset with the both of you. But as it is . . ."   
  
Heero stopped and looked at Midii, he couldn't help but notice that she was a very beautiful woman. The perfect target, the perfect lure. He was going to find out exactly what the Alliance was hiding tonight, as long as he stayed close to her.  
  
Trowa didn't like the way Heero was looking at Midii. He had the cold, detached look on his face that he always had during a mission.  
  
"What plan, Heero," he prompted.  
  
"I understand you want your sister back," Heero said. "We'll make sure nothing happens to her. She's a civilian. But I have the feeling all hell's going to break loose tonight and your little friend and her partner are going to be at the center of it."  
  
*********  
  
Heero was engrossed in his conversation, not even bothering to scan the room or admire this wonderful, fairyland of a place, Relena thought. She smiled a little, at least she didn't have to worry that he was interested in somebody else. Even the beautiful girl sitting at the table next to him. All he'd done was flick his eyes over her with his usual cold, clinical disinterest. She herself was the only girl he'd ever looked at any differently. But it wasn't enough anymore. The war had been over for a long time, it was time for Heero to try and start a normal life.  
  
She sighed. Duo and Hilde had gotten up and were dancing, their bodies pressed close together and she could see Duo press his mouth to Hilde's shoulder and his hand moved in gentle circles on the bare skin of her back. If Duo could do it there was no reason Heero couldn't. The time for the perfect soldier was over. She and Heero had earned a chance at happiness like that. Tonight she was going to show him. Relena walked purposefully out of the darkness of the terrace and into the flashing lights of the main room.   
  
Heero felt eyes on him and a warm feeling flooded his body. There was only one reason for him to feel like that.  
  
Relena.  
  
He looked up and saw her standing there, the colored lights playing on her face. Relena. He hadn't seen her in over a year, tried so hard to push her glorious beauty out of his mind. In all this chaos surrounding Midii Une he'd even forgotten to remember her birthday this year. He'd told himself it was for the best. Relena was not for him, she belonged to the world. The guardian angel of peace. He was only her lowly soldier, doing his best to protect her wonderful dream.  
  
This was no place for Relena.   
  
Encouraged by his look, Relena walked up to the table and sat down beside Heero in Duo's empty chair. Heero looked at his watch, he had till midnight to get her the hell out of here.  
  
***********  
  
The atmosphere at the crowded little table was strained. Quatre wished there was something he could do about it. He saw immediately that Trowa and Isabela were no closer to reaching some kind of understanding than they had been before they'd run off.. "Not Isabela," he repeated to himself. "Midii, Midii." He couldn't stop thinking of her as his sweet friend Isabela, no matter that there was now no doubt as to who she really was. How could Trowa resist her in a place like this? Quatre shook his head as the two of them glanced at each other for about the hundredth time in the last hour and then jerked their heads away again, afraid to let their eyes meet. He knew if Dorothy were here he'd have to take her in his arms and dance with her, just like Duo and Hilde were doing. He smiled at the two of them. At least one of them was finding a normal life and some real happiness, leave it to Duo to be that one. Despite all the tension in the atmosphere he still had the time to share a special moment with his beautiful wife. How he wished Dorothy were here. And how strange that Miss Relena had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. Heero should be happy to see her, but he wore his usual mask of indifference. What was wrong with all of them?  
  
*********  
The man at the bar watched the young man and woman at the table, the near-miss glances, the anxious look on his face, the heartbroken look on hers. Stupid young fools that didn't realize how precious love and life and time was. It wasn't long ago he'd lost his wife, a beautiful, golden-haired angel so like that girl over there. She'd sparkled in exactly the same way. If only they'd had more time together and yet those two sat there like that, wasting this beautiful night, their time together. It happened again. The tall young man looked yearningly at the woman beside him, but she was studying her hands in her lap, as he turned his head away she glanced at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Those two needed a push in the right direction. He got up from his barstool and walked over to the table in the center of the room.  
  
"Una ragazza graziosa come uni dourebbe balarre," he said to the girl, his liquid Italian syllables falling softly on her ears. Yes, he thought, a pretty girl like her should be dancing, but not with him, with the stubborn young man at her side who was suddenly starting to pay attention. She shook her head shyly, looking down. "Come," he said, speaking in English this time. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out on the dance floor.  
  
Heero took his eyes off Relena long enough to notice Midii was gone. "Where'd she go," he asked, starting to rise from his chair.  
  
"It's okay Heero, she's only dancing. She's right there," Quatre said, his eyes on Trowa. That man had the right idea, this might just light a fire under his friend at last.  
  
"Really," Midii protested, feeling Heero and Trowa's eyes on her. "I should sit down. I'm not here to dance." And yet, how she loved to dance and this song was so beautiful and the words hurt her heart.  
  
"Don't worry little one," the man said, dipping her so low to the floor that her golden hair pooled dramatically against the dark wood. "The one you love will come to rescue you from my unwanted attentions in a very short time."  
  
Duo and Hilde returned and sat down, breathless and happy. Duo looked at Heero and Trowa and rolled his eyes in annoyance. He had had enough.  
  
"Listen you guys, this is just plain ridiculous. R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S," he said, everyone at the table became silent and listened to him. "Here you are, it's a great night, the stars are shining and all that othe romantic crap and you're just sitting there. Loosen up for god's sake. Trowa, listen to me, everyone in this goddamn room knows that you're in love with her and that she's in love with you. Stop denying it and go get her, you know things are gonna get bad later. Don't have any regrets, you've wasted enough time already. Alright, so she's the enemy. So what. You can help her. Haven't you noticed the look in her eyes. She looks at you like you're her salvation. The same way Heero over there looks at his princess when he thinks no one's looking. The same way I look at Hilde. In this life some of us are givers and some of us are takers, but we need each other. We need to find that person. She needs you and you know damn well that you need her. What the hell are you waiting for? And you Heero, God knows you're even worse. You know that you need Relena to save your icy soul but you keep running away. Give it up man, it's about time." He paused and looked around at the stunned faces surrounding him. "Okay, okay! I'll just shut up now."  
  
"Oh Duo," Hilde said softly. "Oh Duo." She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his neck. "That was so beautiful. I love you so much." She drew his head down to hers and kissed him.  
  
Relena glanced at Heero and he met her glance. She took his hand and they walked off together toward the terrace. Quatre had already gotten up, as Duo talked he'd caught a glimpse of familiar long blonde hair. He had taken Duo's advice and followed after the elusive girl he loved.  
  
Trowa looked out on the dance floor and found Midii. Duo was right, so right. Her eyes were on him from across the room, she was looking at him. How could he not have seen how she needed him, as much as he needed her.  
  
Midii's partner saw Trowa starting to take notice, just one last touch and he knew the stupid boy would come to his senses at last.  
  
"She is so beautiful, just like you my darling Sofia," he thought. He pulled her Midii against him and touched his lips softly to hers.  
  
"You are very sweet," he murmured, his hand caressing the bare skin of her back.  
  
Trowa stood up so fast his chair crashed behind him and he was beside her in an instant. The man backed off, a pleased smile on his face, how he hated to see young people waste time. His plan had worked perfectly. The younger man was taking the girl in his arms now and holding her close. Everything would work out for them now, he would ask his Sofia to look down on them from heaven.  
  
"Midii," Trowa said softly, tilting her chin up so she looked at him. "Are you alright."  
  
She nodded. "He was just being kind," she said. "I'm sorry, I tried to get him to stop. I know we need to stay close now."  
  
He pulled her closer. "Yes," he said. "Very close."  
  
"Trowa," she murmured, resting her chin on his shoulder and pressing her hair against his cheek.  
  
He forgot everything. Everything but Midii and the night. Forgot Cathrine and why they were there. Why, why had he waited so long to hold her again, he wondered. His hand brushed over her hair and he pushed the silky strands aside to caress her neck with his fingers, touching her skin reverently, catching his breath as he drew his hand over her collarbone and felt the pulsing of her heart beneath his palm.  
  
"Midii," he started to say. "About this afternoon . . ."  
  
She turned her face up to look at him and he forgot what he wanted to say. He had to kiss her. "Midii," he repeated, taking her face in his hands and pressing his lips to hers.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . Midnight comes and all hell breaks loose!  
  
  
  



	10. Alone/Together: Chapter 9

Alone/Together  
  
By Midii Une  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"Dorothy," Quatre said, finally tracking down the slender blonde with the flashing blue eyes, his voice quivering with emotion and disbelief.   
  
"So you finally noticed me, I've been here all night waiting for you to see me," Dorothy said a little testily, irritated by the confused state of her heart and her mind. She'd been close enough to hear Duo Maxwell's words. Words that somehow made so much sense, words that were starting to make her think about throwing caution to the wind and walking out on that dance floor with Quatre right in front of Heero Yuy, Miss Relena and even Trowa Barton. The irritated look left her face and her eyes softened as she gazed at him. Beautiful was the only word to describe him, his face, his soul, those eyes shining with love for her.  
  
Emotions overwhelmed her and she choked back a sob and launched herself into Quatre's arms and he closed them around her swiftly. He couldn't believe she was here, he had missed her so much, wanted her with him so much. Everything Duo had said was true, Quatre thought, focussing on the feel of her in his arms, her long, silky hair wrapping around both of them as a strong breeze blew in suddenly from the sea, extinguishing many of the little candles that glowed everywhere. Dorothy needed him, he could help her forget her past mistakes. Somehow he had to make her realize that before something happened that they would both regret. It was so foolish to hide their love, to be apart unnecessarily because of her fears, fears that had no basis in fact. He'd defend his love for her in front of anyone, it was as unchangeable as granite. Quatre knew that the time had come to force her to see that he was only hurting them both by caving in to her demands like he did. He loved her unconditionally and it was time to make her see that. Time to stop hiding.  
  
Soon, he thought, distracted by the heady feeling of her in his arms, the smooth satin of her dress warm from the heat of her body, her arms soft and cool from the breeze off the water. He wasn't in a hurry to let go of her. It had been so long, days since they'd been together.  
  
She led him to a dark corner and pressed herself closer to him. "Quatre," she murmured, in a softer, sweeter voice than he'd ever heard from her. "Do you know how much I love you?" They stood face to face, eye to eye, their lips at exactly the same height lit by the glow of the remaining candles and the bright white stars peeking out of the clear sky. In one fluid motion they leaned together and lost themselves in a kiss . . . There was still time to pry her from her self-protective cocoon, to admit to his friends that he was involved with her, that he loved her, Quatre thought. In just a little while, Dorothy thought, she'd talk to him, convince him to leave before the impending danger could pull him away from her. But first, just one more kiss . . .   
  
*********  
  
Heero was silent for so long that Relena was starting to become uneasy. She had hoped that Duo's words would affect him somehow, but now it appeared he was conquering any feelings that the words had stirred up in him, forcing them down so deep inside that they would never resurface. He was staring out to sea, his face radiant in the tiny glow of the small white lights surrounding them, lost in his thoughts, seeming not to see her or feel her hand in his.  
  
This time he had to realize that they were meant to be together. He had to realize that she wasn't a symbol, a woman on a pedestal, the personification of peace. She was only Relena now, and her love for this strange, closed-off man was the only thing that mattered. It wouldn't be an easy road with him, they might never have what Duo and Hilde shared. But they would have something all their own and they would make it special. She needed him, and she wondered if it was true what Duo had said. Did he need her too? Could he need anyone or had that accursed Dr. J forever destroyed the person capable of love who resided in the body of Heero Yuy?  
  
Her heart ached with sorrow and throbbed angrily at the same time. How dare that man destroy him, make him like this.   
  
"Heero," she said. She repeated his name and he finally looked at her.  
"Kiss me Heero, please. I know that we can be happy. You have to believe it too. We can. You're strong enough to let me in your heart. I know that you are. Please Heero, just one kiss . . ."  
  
He looked at her and again she felt uneasy, if he didn't kiss her now, after all this, she felt she would never reach him. It was so wrong, so unfair for Heero to have been made to feel like he should have no emotions. It was so wrong. A shimmering tear crept down her cheek, reminding him suddenly of a raindrop on a rose petal.  
  
"Relena," Heero said, his voice strained and uncertain. "I never wanted to make you cry."  
  
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, closing his eyes. He could swear he felt something, something inside, like pain in his heart, but yet not pain at all. Heero opened his eyes and met Relena's, the love and understanding in them so plain that the message was clear even to a frozen heart like his. His princess, his love, she was so strong that she could bring peace to the world and love to a soldier without a soul.  
  
"I love you," he said, pulling her close and touching his lips to hers, so gently, tentatively. His kiss was awkward as first kisses tend to be, but to Relena it was the sweetest moment in her life. "I love you too Heero, I always have," she whispered. And the tears on her face were tears of happiness, happiness at last.  
  
*********  
  
"Signor Stefan," the doorman/bouncer said, grinning at the tall, black-haired man as he appeared at the entrance to his uncle's nightclub, shoving past the disappointed crowd waiting to get in. He held Cathrine tightly by the hand, reluctant to have to let her go. The memory of their one kiss threatening to distract him from his mission. He had surprised himself, he'd been so gentle, so careful not to offend her, barely touching her arm as he'd touched his lips tenderly to hers. And yet it had been magical, nothing like the kisses he gave other women. There was no other woman like Cathrine, he told himself, fiercely believing it. But she was wrong, he couldn't change, especially not now. And neither could Midii. Where the hell was she? Cathrine's brother would certainly show up, loyalty to such a sweet sister was a sure bet, Stefan thought. Besides Anton had been keeping tabs on Midii since she arrived on Corsica, she was sure to be here tonight.  
  
His eyes scanned the room looking for Midii, before pausing to cast another quick glance at the woman beside him, the most beautiful one in the room. Her auburn curls gleaming in the flashing lights and her white dress showing off the best body in the place. His Cathrine, how he wished she could be. Every man in the room would envy him.  
  
Then he saw her. Midii was making out just fine. He grinned at the pun. She was dressed to kill and had Cathrine's brother totally bewitched. Stefan bet he could blow the place up right now and Nanashi, or Trowa Barton or whatever the hell the guy called himself wouldn't notice as long as he was holding her in his arms. Probably thought he'd died and gone to heaven and that Midii was some type of angel.  
  
He sighed, this wasn't going to be easy. Midii was convinced that she loved that guy and she'd obviously made plenty of headway in getting him to love her right back in the short time she'd had alone with him, or at least he looked plenty ready to jump in the sack with her. She wasn't going to want to leave the party right now. Hell, he'd much rather stay here and dance the night away with his gorgeous Cathrine, but they had work to do. He hoped there was still time to get Midii and her information to the Alliance, he hoped they hadn't found out that they had compromised their mission.  
  
"It's time," he said to Cathrine.  
  
*******  
  
It was so like a dream, Midii thought, his arms around her so tightly and protectively. She felt safe and cherished. Nothing could hurt her tonight, not with Trowa close by. His hands were warm on her skin, his fingers caressing her hair, her shoulders, her back and every time she looked up at him he kissed her. Her body tingled, she wanted him to take her away, somewhere they could be alone together. He felt it too, she could tell from the rhythm of his heart, the way he pressed against her and the look in his eyes.   
  
Words seemed unnecessary, they spoke with touches and kisses. Her eyes so soft and blue capturing his heart, he smiled down at her and tugged gently at one of her sparkling earrings that winked at him under the lights. Her eyes widened and her breath grew ragged as Trowa moved his other hand down from her waist to her thigh, his fingers tugging at the hem of her skirt sliding it higher on her leg. She closed her eyes and pressed her face against his shoulder. He loved her, he loved Midii. Only the thought of Cathrine far back in his mind kept him from taking her far from here. Somewhere they could be alone together.   
  
*******  
  
"My how cozy you two have gotten," Stefan said, the sound of his voice making Trowa look up and Midii's closed eyes spring open.  
  
"Cathrine," Trowa said, startled and dropping his arms from Midii's waist. How could it be midnight already, he wondered, he had only just taken her in his arms? But his green eyes melted with relief at the sight of his sister. She was completely safe, Midii hadn't lied about that. "Oh Trowa," Cathrine said, her violet eyes lighting up in happiness. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him and he wrapped an arm around her.   
  
"What Midii, no welcome for me? And after all the trouble I went through to rescue you from the bad guys," Stefan teased. His arm snaked out and caught her by the waist and he pulled her back against him, with his other hand he pointed a gun at Trowa.  
  
"Thanks for the help buddy and the loan of your lovely sister," Stefan said. "Cathrine, it was a pleasure. Maybe some day . . . well maybe not, I don't think your brother approves of me." He flashed a grin, if looks could kill Nanashi would have him down for the count. "We'll just be leaving now, enjoy the rest of your evening."  
  
"Stefan, no," Midii said. "I don't want to go with you. We have to stay here both of us. Listen to me."  
  
"We'll talk later," Stefan said, tightening his grip on his struggling partner. "But right now you're leaving with me."  
  
Trowa pushed Cathrine behind him and pulled out his gun, he glanced around. Where the hell was Duo, where the hell were Heero, Quatre and Wufei? "I'll let you leave," Trowa said. "But Midii stays."  
  
"I've got the upper hand, Mr. Gundam Pilot," Stefan said. "I know you won't shoot at her but I'd have no trouble at all shooting at you."  
  
"Stefan," Cathrine said, peeking from behind Trowa. "Please, don't do this."  
  
He looked at her and a feeling of discomfort ran through him, he doubted he could shoot Cathrine's brother, doubted he could bear the look in her eyes despite how much he hated Trowa Barton and how much he'd messed with Midii's life.  
  
"I'd love to make you happy Gorgeous, but business before pleasure," he said, his eyes meeting hers before he looked back at Trowa. "Party's over, lights out."  
  
Stefan turned slightly and took aim at the fuse box behind the bar. The box exploded in a shower of sparks and the lights flashed once and then went out, leaving Il Ritmo de la Mare in complete darkness except for a few tiny votives that the breeze had spared.  
  
It was virtually as dark as the inside of a cave and women started screaming. Midii shrieked as she felt Stefan effortlessly hoist her over his shoulder, but with all the noise no one heard her. Stefan knew the club like the back of his hand, he'd worked there when he was a kid, before he'd gotten off the island. He'd walked the floors in the dark hundreds of times when closing up, they were out one of the little side doors before half the people in the place even realized what had happened.  
  
********  
  
"Duo, oh my God, what's happening," Hilde said as the room went black. She'd been sitting in Duo's lap, their inhibitions eroded by a bottle of wine and the romantic afterglow of Duo's speech. Hilde had wanted to show him just how wonderful she thought he was and Duo had been only too happy to receive her attention. They had forgotten all about the others, Midii and Trowa, Cathrine and Niente.  
  
Hilde shrieked as someone in the panicking crowd tipped their chair over and they hit the floor. They still couldn't see a thing.  
  
"Come on," Duo said, dragging her close to him. "Get under the table or we're gonna get caught in the stampede."  
  
He wondered where the hell everyone else was.  
  
********  
  
Wufei heard the shrieking in the building behind him. "Women," he thought in disgust. "Now what." He'd had to get out of there. He hadn't been able to concentrate in there with the smoke and the lights and the noise. Lights, he noticed the lights had gone out.  
  
********  
  
Heero held Relena close as they felt bodies rush by them and heard the screams all around.  
  
"Heero, what's happening," she whispered, clinging to his neck.  
  
He knew what was happening. He had forgotten his duty, forgotten everything because of the realization he'd come to about his feelings for Relena. Those duties would have to remain forgotten. His only mission now was to protect her. His eyes narrowed as he thought harder. He had to get her out of this crush of people, it wasn't safe. He didn't know whether it had been Niente or the Alliance that had shot out the lights but either one could still be out there like a loose cannon and with Relena by his side he was taking no chances.  
  
Relena felt him fumble with something in his jacket. Heero pulled her tightly against him and kissed her, more decisively this time. She could almost see him smile at her in the dark. "Do you trust me," he asked.  
  
"Yes," she said.   
  
"Then hold on," he answered and he jumped with Relena in his arms over the railing of the cliffside terrace, the cable he had attached to the railing broke their fall before they reached the rocky beach below.  
  
********  
  
"Dorothy," Quatre whispered urgently. "Stay close to me, there's a back exit not far from here. I've got to get you out where it's safe. I have to stay and find Trowa, he needs my help."  
  
Quatre was frowning in the dark, he'd lost track of time, in the dim and cozy corner he and Dorothy had found they had felt like they were all alone and time had passed like nothing. He'd forgotten all about Trowa and the others. Anything could be happening now in this dark mass of screaming people.  
  
"Quatre, no," Dorothy pleaded. "Let the others help Trowa. Stay with me please, it's too dangerous. Come with me."  
  
"I'll be careful," he promised, kissing her quickly as he found the door and pushed her out. "I'll find you later, just stay safe."  
  
**********  
  
"Stefan," Midii pleaded trying to make him see reason. "Stop it, put me down. We need to get back in there. It isn't safe you don't know what I've done. They are going to come after us, they're probably already here."  
  
"That's your body talking, not your mind," Stefan insisted, setting her on her feet. "You just want to get back to that guy, but it's not going to happen. Just forget it."  
  
Midii's eyes blazed with anger and frustration, she raised her hand and slapped Stefan across the face leaving the red imprint of her fingers behind.  
  
"I'm going back," she said, running back in the direction they'd come. Stefan hesitated an instant, startled by her anger before following after her.   
  
She could see Il Ritmo de la Mare up ahead, Stefan hadn't gotten too far with her kicking and hitting at him. Trowa, she thought, relief flooding her. Suddenly a tall figure stepped in front of her, blocking the sidewalk. Midii gasped and backed away a few steps but he grabbed her roughly spinning her around and twisting her arm up painfully behind her back and clamping his other hand tightly over her mouth. She struggled to get away and he viciously pulled her arm up higher and a soft whimper escaped her from beneath his hand and her eyes widened in agony and terror.  
  
"Try anything and I'll snap your skinny little arm like a twig," he threatened and she didn't dare to move. Mezzo? The name flashed in her brain. They'd heard he'd died during the war and she'd been glad. A horrible man with an evil reputation. He twisted her arm a little more, as if in answer to her silent question and sharp pain shot up through her shoulder.  
  
Stefan slowed down and went more cautiously, the sound of the click of her heels had ceased suddenly and he frowned and drew his gun. What did she mean that they weren't safe? What had she done? She couldn't have said anything to place them in jeopardy. She couldn't have been that stupid. Instantly he remembered the soft, adoring look in her eyes when she looked at Cathrine's brother. Oh yes, she could be that stupid. He closed his eyes in thought, he should run, get away himself. But he'd been responsible for her for so long that his choice seemed already made, he could never leave her behind. Damn Midii for this, but then again he should have listened to her earlier.  
  
He grinned suddenly. Maybe Cathrine would be able to love a hero. Stefan heard a sound in the alley up ahead and rounded the corner carefullly, gun drawn but his bravado dropped at the sight that met his eyes.  
  
Mezzo had her, he could see tears of fright and pain rolling down her cheeks. He had Midii and he had backup, no fewer than six guns were trained on him, they'd been waiting, knowing he'd follow her straight into this hellish nightmare. A nightmare with no way out.  
  
Mezzo's amused smile erupted into soft laughter as he saw Stefan's face.   
"And so Niente, you blunder right in after your foolish little partner." He dropped Midii's arm and tangled his fingers in her long hair instead, twisting it around his palm and pulling it tightly, forcing her head back against his shoulder and Stefan saw her close her eyes from the pain.  
  
"I'll kill you if you don't let her go this instant," Stefan said, his voice steady but his mind telling him it was all useless. This was the end.  
  
"You were nothing without her, you knew that," Mezzo continued, ignoring Stefan's idle threat and adding insult to injury. "And you coddled her right up to the end. You should have showed her who was boss, kept her under control. Then both of you might have avoided this."  
  
"You sick bastard," Stefan said softly. It was all over, their luck had run out. He should just shoot her, better that than leaving her in Mezzo's hands. God knew what he would do to her, it made him queasy to think of it. He couldn't let him hurt Midii like that. He had heard things, things he would never even talk about in a woman's presence. And maybe somehow he'd get lucky and plug Mezzo instead. Forgive me Midii, he thought, it's the only way out . . .  
  
Mezzo read his intentions in his face even before the hand holding the gun started moving.  
  
"Kill him," he said softly.  
  
Instantly the six silenced weapons fired, emptying their cartridges as Stefan's single shot rushed harmlessly past Mezzo's arm. He didn't even flinch.   
  
Midii looked in disbelief as Stefan fell his body riddled with bullets dead before he even reached the ground. Mezzo could feel the change in her body, the defeat and he dropped his hand from her mouth and untangled his hand from her hair. She fell to her knees, and the pain in her arm when she tried to push herself up was excruciating.  
  
"Stefan," she sobbed, crawling over to where he lay in a pool of blood, his eyes staring up into the sky. She put a hand on his chest and lifted it off again, staring at the blood as if it couldn't be real. "Stefan, please, don't be dead. Please," she whispered despairingly. "Don't leave me."   
  
She didn't even consider running, her body was wracked with pain and her mind nearly insane with terror and grief. She fell forward onto his bleeding body and cried.  
  
********  
  
They waited by the back entrance. They had their orders, if Niente was with her, shoot him, but grab the girl, Mezzo had business with her. Eventually a slender but well-built girl slipped out the back door, her hair was long and pale blonde, she wore a blue satin dress and when she turned toward them and they saw that here eyes were blue as well.   
  
It must be her. Midii Une.  
  
Dorothy screamed as the two men grabbed hold of her arms and forced her into a waiting car.  
  
********   
  
Mezzo smirked, how satisfying he thought, and the night was just beginning. He walked over and pulled Midii up by her bruised and injured arm. He could read the fear and hopelessness on her beautiful little face.  
  
He shoved her up against the brick wall of the alley and leaned in close. "Save your tears," he said succinctly. "Soon you'll be wishing you were as dead as he is. You'll hate him for dying first, when I'm done with you."  
  
He held something in front of her face, she could barely make it out through her tear-blurred eyes, black with silver prongs. She wanted to scream, but her voice was choked with heartache and fear.  
  
"Do you know what this is," he said softly, his breath against her cheek. "I could kill you with it." He pressed the stun gun against her temple and a sob shuddered through her. "I could send a shock through your brain." He moved the device slowly down the side of her face and pressed it into the soft skin over her heart. "Or I could use it to stop that treacherous little heart of yours from beating. It would hurt Midii, imagine that shock of electricity burning through your body. But I want to keep you alive a little longer so I'll just give you a taste of what it's like."  
  
He kissed her forehead almost tenderly.  
  
"Good night," he said, swiftly sliding the stun gun away from her heart and shooting the current into the opposite shoulder, catching her effortlessly as she fell forward, her body convulsing slightly from the electrical shock.  
  
**********  
  
The lights flickered then came back on, one of the employees had managed to get outside and activate the emergency power system.  
  
At first the light was as blinding as the darkness had been. Trowa blinked, it had seemed like hours but it had only been perhaps 10 minutes since Niente had shot the lights out.  
  
Midii was gone. Niente would have known how to get out, would have made it his business to know. A cold feeling swept over him, she was gone.  
  
He turned to Cathrine, remembering her there beside him. "Are you alright Cathy," he asked.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Come on let's get outside, it's a mess in here," Trowa said, but his eyes scanned the room even though he knew she must be gone. He spotted Duo and Hilde crawling out from under the table and Quatre was pushing his way through the crowd in their direction. There was no sign of Heero and Relena however, or Wufei.  
  
Once they all got out it was just as chaotic outside as it was in but they bumped into Wufei.  
  
"She got away, hmm," Wufei said looking at the group of them. "And where's Yuy?"  
  
Quatre put a hand on Trowa's shoulder. "We'll find her Trowa, they couldn't have gotten far."  
  
Duo spotted an alley close by. "We can't talk here, it's crazy," he said. "Let's go down there where it's quiet."  
  
He led the way, Hilde's hand in his and stepped into the dark, deserted little alley. "Oh geez," Duo said, looking and turning pale. Hilde screamed and buried her head in Duo's shoulder.  
  
"Niente," Trowa muttered, peering into the darkness and then looking at the ground. He couldn't look, couldn't look to see if she was there somewhere too. Tears streaked Cathrine's face. She couldn't believe he could be dead. Stefan had been so full of life, full of compliments and teasing. But when he'd kissed her he'd been so sweet, so gentle. And now . . . she looked at him lying there, his eyes staring up at the sky, unseeing and the blood, so much blood.   
  
Quatre forced himself to look, if she was there he couldn't let Trowa see, it would be too awful. But Niente seemed to be alone, as Quatre turned his eyes away from the grisly scene something caught his attention, a faint sparkle in the puddle of blood at Niente's side. Wufei saw it too and went over and picked it up.  
  
"Trowa, do you recognize this," he said, dangling the blood-stained earring in his hand.  
  
He nodded. "It's Midii's," he said, taking it in his hand and clenching it tightly.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED . . . . Duo, Trowa and Quatre track Midii to the Corsica Base . . . Dorothy has to make a choice.  
  
  



	11. Alone/Together: Chapter 10

  
  
Alone/Together  
By Midii Une  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Trowa stared at the earring in his hand, he didn't even feel the sharp little pain when the back dug into his palm as he closed his fingers tightly over it. He could see her smiling up at him, still feel her arms around him, saw his own fingers playing with the earrings she wore. Not half an hour ago she'd been safe in his arms and now he had no idea where she was. Just like this afternoon but worse. Midii needed him and he couldn't find her, how would he ever be able to find her . . .  
  
Duo and Quatre were talking to him but he didn't hear them, the two other pilots exchanged looks. Duo wondered what the hell they were gonna do. Trowa was silent and faraway, thinking God knows what. Heero was missing in action and Wufei had a wounded wing. And the only witness was lying there at their feet in an ever-widening pool of blood.   
  
"All we can do is split up, start asking questions," Quatre suggested, he was anxious to get off on his own for a minute. He wanted to find Dorothy, make sure she was safe, this was turning into a nightmare. He felt so responsible for what had happened to Isabela, he'd promised her their protection, promised . . . they had to find her, it couldn't be too late. They would have killed her here if they wanted her dead, he had to believe that.  
  
"Wait," Hilde said suddenly, lifting her white face from Duo's shoulder and peering into the alley once more. "I think I heard something in there."  
  
Duo hugged her protectively. "You're hearing things, baby, there's no one down there."  
  
Then they all heard an unmistakable rustle and a boy appeared from out of the shadows. Trowa's eyes widened in recognition, it was that kid, the one who'd met them when they stepped off the ferry. He must have seen everything.  
  
"Anton," Cathrine gasped, running to him and hugging him to herself, fresh tears running down her cheeks at the dismal sight of Stefan's young cousin.  
  
"Signorina Catalina," he whispered, stiffly accepting her embrace. "Stefan is dead."  
  
The boy's face was pale but tearless, in shock from the horrible things he had witnessed, trailing after the cousin he worshipped and the young woman he adored from afar. And he'd seen the results of a lifestyle he had once admired. He'd been too afraid to step in and save her, even though he kept a gun tucked in his coat pocket. He'd hidden in the shadows and watched as that man hurt Signorina Midii. Stefan was so much braver than he had been, but he was dead. He could still see her sobbing over his cousin's body but the man hadn't had any pity for her sorrow, tormenting her with his sneering voice and hurting her so viciously.  
  
He looked over Cathrine's shoulder at Trowa. "Hurry," he choked out. "He's going to kill her. He said he was going to kill Signorina Midii."  
  
Quatre knelt down beside the boy. "Where are they," he asked urgently, trying to get an answer. "Did you hear? Did they say?"  
  
Anton nodded. "They took her to the old Corsica Base. Do you know where that is?"  
  
******  
  
Mezzo held her limp body in one arm and with the other he swept the clutter off the old desk in the abandoned headquarters and laid her on top of the filthy surface. She looked dead, but she wasn't, under the harsh lights he could see the slight movement caused by her shallow breathing. He looked with satisfaction at the dark bruises on her face and arms where his fingers had pressed into her. Only the beginning. Tearstains streaked her dirty face and her dress was stiff and dark with Niente's blood.  
  
He lifted Midii's shoulders and slapped her twice across the face, she moaned faintly but didn't regain consciousness. Mezzo shook her. "Wake up you stupid little bitch," he ordered, cursing himself for setting the voltage so high on the stun gun. He wanted her awake for this, but when he let her go she dropped back with a thud.  
  
A sudden commotion and the sounds of struggle behind him made him turn angrily to face the unwelcome intruders. He had waited so patiently to get to her over the past few days, interruptions would not be tolerated.  
  
"We got her," one of his underlings said proudly, he and his partner trying desperately to hold onto a tall, struggling blonde girl who was cursing them and protesting.  
  
"Got who," Mezzo said, glancing at the girl on the desk and the woman, angry as a spitting cat, who glared at him murderously.  
  
"I told you idiots a hundred times," she said in a low, furious voice. "I am not Midii Une. My name is Dorothy Catalonia."  
  
"Boss," the younger man questioned, his gaze flickering between the unconscious woman laying there like a corpse under the lights and the girl with long blonde hair they had grabbed.  
  
"The lady is right," Mezzo said, his eyes, a frightening shade of pale blue, flicking disinterestedly over Dorothy. "Terrible mistake. I have no use for her. Kill her."  
  
"What," Dorothy protested, fear pulsing through her veins as she stopped struggling against the bumbling fools who had mistaken her for Midii.  
  
"No witnesses," Mezzo said coldly turning back to his prey, searching for signs that she was regaining consciousness. A door slammed open and he turned again, this was getting annoying, he restrained his anger as General Soixante stepped into the room.  
  
"What's going on here Agent Mezzo," the man said, glancing around the ruined room, at Midii and at Dorothy.  
  
His eyes widened at the sight of Dorothy.  
  
"Can it be Miss Catalonia," he said, shock apparent in his voice. "I knew your grandfather, Duke Dermail."   
  
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, a representative of the defunct Romefeller Foundation could add credibility to their cause, once it got off the ground.  
  
"There are some things I'd like to discuss with you, Miss Dorothy," he said, taking her arm in a gentlemanly manner. "Perhaps you'd like to see exactly what we're trying to accomplish here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."  
  
Dorothy nodded, anything to get away from these madmen and their threats of death. Her glance fell on Midii lying helpless there, she hated her, hated the way Quatre had always talked about her, her own predicament was all the other girl's fault. But still, he thought she was kind, what would he think of her if she did nothing?  
  
"What about her," she ventured.  
  
"Who is that Mezzo," the General asked, a flicker of recognition appearing suddenly in his eyes, it had been a long time since he'd seen the girl. "Is that Agent Une? What happened?"  
  
"She betrayed the mission, sir," Mezzo answered, clenching his fists, he was fast losing control of the situation. "I was going to report to you sir. I've already eliminated Agent Niente and . . ."  
  
The General looked at Mezzo with disgust evident in his face. "I've heard about your little peculiarities," he said, glancing at Midii again. "If what you say is true Agent Une will have to be questioned by me when she regains consciousness. Until then lock her up somewhere and stay away from her. After we talk she'll be executed if the offense warrants it. That's an order."  
  
Mezzo nodded tersely veins popping in his forehead. He looked at her, he'd find a way, she wouldn't get off so easily.  
  
******  
  
Trowa put his hand on Anton's shoulder.  
  
"But Midii's alright for now, isn't she," he asked. "They didn't hurt her?"  
  
The boy turned his head away and his skin turned a shade paler. "I wanted to stop them," he whispered. "I couldn't. Stefan couldn't. He-he tried, but they shot him. They shot him so many times. She was crying."  
  
"Trowa," Cathrine said, patting the boy's back soothingly, trying to protect him from their questions. "That's enough."  
  
"Well, let's get going," Duo said, alarmed by the look on Trowa's face. "Wufei, I hate to ask you this man, but someone should stay with Cathrine and Hilde and the kid, we can't be sure there's not still some of those guys out there. You're injured, you're the best one to stay behind. Plus someone needs to wait for Heero and fill him in. What a time for him to kick the 'perfect soldier' habit, shit."  
  
Quatre moved to quell the situation as Wufei looked about ready to explode into a rage of anger and Trowa looked ready to go off on his own. "Duo's right. Please Wufei, this is no time to argue. It's a good plan. When Heero comes you two meet us at the base. Please."  
  
Wufei grumbled but listened to Quatre's sensible words. He glanced at the women and the boy. He was no babysitter. He clenched his fists, ignoring the tightening in his wounded shoulder.  
  
*****  
  
Hand in hand Heero and Relena explored the tiny, rock-covered beach at the base of the cliff. A soft glow from above indicated that the lights had gone back on at Il Ritmo de la Mare.  
  
"Heero," Relena questioned softly, nearly afraid to break the mood. "What do you think happened up there?"  
  
He turned to her and pulled her into his arms, his assurance growing by the second. It wasn't so hard, not hard at all, to be tender with Relena. She tucked her face into the curve of his neck.  
  
"We're on a mission," he explained. "There's a faction of the old EarthSphere Alliance trying to get something going."  
  
Relena clenched her fists, almost biting her tongue.  
  
"They'll need you Heero," she whispered.  
  
He sighed, the pull of the mission still strong inside him, the automatic reaction urging him away from her. But the delicate warmth of her body curved against his was starting to have its own influence, pulling his mind and heart in other directions.   
  
"You've seen this beach," he said softly. "We're stranded for now."  
  
"If it wasn't for me you could swim around the cliff," Relena guessed.   
  
"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be alive Relena," he answered. How many times had a vision of her face called him back from the brink of destruction?  
  
They looked into each others eyes, the mission, the others, forgotten for the moment. The crash of the surf added to the romance of the moment. It had been coming for so long, but the relationship between them was as inevitable as the tide.  
  
The tide, dictated by the moon. The tide, that unnoticed by the two lovers, was starting to rise.  
  
******  
  
The memory of pain. Burning, endless pain. It ran through every muscle, every vein it seemed, it washed over her in punishing, crashing waves. She didn't know if it still hurt or if it was just the remembering. Would it ever go away? Midii opened her eyes but it was just as dark as it had been when her eyes were closed so she shut them again. Even the sensation of her lids against her eyes was painful so she tried to be still.  
  
Far away a part of her urged her to move, find the lock pick she'd stolen from Duo and try to escape. But the voice was far away, the voice didn't know how she felt, the agony in every movement. Try, the voice came again, attempting to motivate her. Trowa will come, he will, you have to stay alive. No, she wanted to scream. She saw Stefan falling, endlessly falling, saw the puddle of blood. Stefan became Trowa. "No," her own voice whispered, pleaded in the dark. "Don't come here."  
  
*****  
  
Divisions of mobile suits, glowing under dim lights, just like on the Libra, just like the tours she'd taken with her father, her grandfather. Dorothy's throat ached. Wasn't it over? Hadn't someone told her it was over? But they were still here at this base, the shine of the titanium alloy had its own beauty, she thought. Everything as it was, a perfect recreation of her painful past. Stop it, she commanded herself, but her heart took up a slowly measured pounding.  
  
"Join us, Miss Dorothy," General Soixante said, watching her face carefully to gauge her reaction. "When Agent Une wakes up and divulges her information we'll be able to attack successfully. The upstart colonies won't know what hit them and as for the World Nation, our sources tell us that the widespread disarmament that's been occurring since the end of the war leaves us with the largest combined force on the planet."  
  
"We will be victorious," he assured her as she continued to stare at the array of armaments gathered in the underground factory. "Despite the bad blood between us and Romefeller in the past we'd be willing to have you on board. You, Miss Dorothy, could draw the support of the organization's leaders, widespread as they are now. We could use their backing, in a subordinate role of course, as we strengthen our takeover."  
  
  
*****  
  
"You guys really did a job on this place," Duo said, whistling softly and looking at the dark and crumbling ruins of the EarthSphere Alliance's vast old Corsica base. "Hope that kid heard right. This place looks deserted and there's hardly two stones on top of each other."  
  
Had the boy been wrong, Trowa wondered. His heart clenched painfully. She wasn't here, nothing was here anymore. It had been too easy, hoping to find her so quickly. She could be anywhere by now. She could be . . . dead.  
  
"Look over there," Quatre said. "That could be something."  
  
It was the burned out shell of a headquarters' building. Something huge had sliced the building diagonally in half. A Gundam. But part of it was still standing. Starlight shone through the empty husk and the windows without glass looked at them dully.  
  
"You're dreaming, buddy," Duo said, shaking his head. They were on a wild goose chase. There was nothing here. Nothing but ghosts of a past that should have stayed buried.  
  
*****  
  
Cathrine stood by the open window that led to the balcony. The breeze blew the sheer white curtains in ghostly shapes around her, the sheer panels of her white dress molded to her curves and moved softly in the breeze as well. She looked down, there were splatters of his blood on her dress. It had been everywhere. She looked up at the stars, choking back sobs, trying to get her feelings under control. Would she ever wake up from this nightmare?  
  
She had been starting to really care for him and now he was gone. Stefan, a vision of his midnight hair and warm, admiring eyes appeared as she closed her eyes. And now Trowa was gone again too, straight into the heart of danger. She glanced at poor Anton, the boy slept fitfully on the couch as Hilde kept an eye on him. She was curled up in a nearby chair, wrapped up in her own worries.  
  
Cathrine felt eyes on her. She moved her violet eyes in a sideways glance and met a pair of deep black ones, studying her with an unfathomable expression.  
  
He felt something strange when he looked at her, not what he felt when he looked at other women at all. He thought that she was what a woman should be, gentle and soft in her white dress. War wasn't a business for women and she had the sense, unlike these others, not to get herself mixed up in it. Strangely he remembered her from long ago, her gentle acceptance of him and his silences. She didn't poke and prod at him to talk like other women did. The emotions of others rarely touched him anymore, really they never had. But somehow her sadness was making itself known to him now. Made him feel like he should go out and do something about it.   
  
Where the hell was Yuy, he wondered, dragging his thoughts away from the unusual paths they were starting to take. He glanced at Cathrine again and at Hilde and the boy. Nothing was amiss here, they were just waiting. He'd be much better occupied elsewhere.  
  
"I'm going to find Heero," Wufei announced shortly and slammed out of the room.  
  
"It's about time," Hilde commented as his footsteps faded in the hall. "I'm surprised he stayed around so long with us 'women.' He really should be out there helping Duo." She paused, a faraway look in her sea-blue eyes. "I-I wish I was there too."  
  
Cathrine looked at the door. "There's something so sad about that man," she said, almost to herself.  
  
  
*****  
  
"I'm disappointed in you Miss Dorothy," the General said. "But I haven't given up hope. Think about my offer."  
  
He turned and walked away. The guard holding her by the arm unlocked a padlocked iron door and pushed her inside. "Do your thinking in there, Romefeller bitch," he muttered, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Dorothy breathed a sigh almost of relief, she was still alive and she had resisted it. Resisted the lure of war. Her love for Quatre was stronger than that. He and the others would put a stop to this, she knew it. She believed in him, his goodness was enough to stop any evil scheme they could attempt.  
  
"Just stay safe, my love," she whispered, a worried frown furrowing her brow. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him now.  
  
It was so dark in the cell. She carefully put her hand down to find a place to sit. The floor was disgusting, covered in grit and God knew what else, probably dead bugs and other debris accumulated over the years of disuse. Her seeking hand brushed against something solid and she screamed. It was a body. She scrambled away from it in horror before getting hold of herself and going back to investigate.  
  
Her eyes were becoming adjusted to the dark and she saw that it was the body of a woman, lying face down on the floor, her golden hair gleamed a little in the dark room, her hands were pulled behind her back in metal handcuffs. She touched her arm carefully and pulled her hand back, her skin was so cold. She must be dead. It was that girl, the one she'd seen when she came in. Midii Une. The cause of all her problems. How dare she be dead! Being with her would have been better than being here alone, Dorothy thought.   
  
"You can't be dead, damn you! Wake up," she said, pushing her over onto her back and watching her carefully for any sign of life. She was rewarded by a small, soft moan of painful protest. She could almost hug her, she thought with a wry smile.  
  
She pulled the smaller girl up by the shoulders and shook her. "Wake up," she pleaded. "Wake up. You have to get me out of here. This is all your fault. Wake up and help me."  
  
Her voice penetrated Midii's pain-clouded consciousness and finally, slowly, her lids fluttered open.  
  
"Water," Midii croaked.  
  
"I don't have any water, we're in a prison for God's sake," Dorothy said impatiently. "This isn't a restaurant."  
  
She'd been drifting in the blackness, almost forgetting who she was or where she was. But it was starting to come back to her.  
  
"Who are you," Midii asked, wincing as she tried to reach up and brush the dirt off her face but found she couldn't. "And where are we exactly?"  
  
"I'm Dorothy Catalonia," the other girl said. "We're at an abandoned military base. At least it was abandoned. They've made quite a bit of headway in rebuilding it underground. But I'm sure you knew that, Isabela."   
  
"Dorothy Catalonia," Midii said in disbelief, her eyes getting used to the dark and focussing on her companion. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"They mistook me for you," Dorothy said between gritted teeth. "Can you believe it? This all your fault. You had no business involving Quatre in your schemes, no business getting any of us involved. You have to get me out of here. You have to help me."  
  
"Quatre," Midii repeated, trying to concentrate on Dorothy's rapid speech.  
  
"Yes, Quatre," Dorothy repeated. "You betrayed him, you have to help me."  
  
"He loves you," Midii said, remembering his intense feelings for this girl and her odd reactions to them. "Why are you so unkind to him? Why won't you marry him? It hurts him so much."  
  
"What," Dorothy sputtered. "What are you saying?"  
  
"Nothing," Midii said, struggling again to free her hands, sharp pain shooting through her left arm. "I think my arm is broken." Her teeth started chattering. "It's so cold in here."  
  
"You're not making any sense," Dorothy sighed, wondering what she'd meant when she said those things about her and Quatre. "You're delirious. How badly are you hurt?"  
  
"Dunno," Midii whispered, leaning her head against the wall, her lids fluttering heavily.  
  
Dorothy looked at her in horror. She grabbed her again and shook her. "You have to stay awake. We'll die if you don't. We need to get out of here."  
  
"My shoes," Midii said, trying clear her mind, trying to think what she had to do.  
  
Dorothy looked at her as if she were insane.  
  
"In the heel of one of my shoes there's a hairpin," Midii explained, her voice strengthening a little. "Help me get these handcuffs off."  
  
As Dorothy worked on the handcuffs, Midii asked about the lock on the door.  
  
"It's a padlock on the other side," Dorothy said. "That's not a problem is it?"  
  
"Of course it's a problem," Midii said, they knew her too well, they'd taken every precaution to keep her here. "It's impossible, we can't get out of here."  
  
"I'm sorry," she added, knowing that Dorothy was in no way prepared for this type of situation. She'd never been in worse trouble herself but she at least had thought about the possibility.  
  
"There-there has to be a way. There has to," Dorothy said, her confidence in Midii slipping vastly. "You have to get us out of here. They'll kill us."  
  
"Probably," Midii said, but her eyes had adjusted fully to the dark and having something to think about had brought her back to herself. Finally her eyes lit on an air vent on the wall a few feet from the ceiling. She stood up shakily, one hand clinging to the wall and stood under it, thinking. She could never make it up there. There was something very wrong with her arm, it throbbed unbearably where he'd twisted it, he'd broken it or torn tendons or something. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as she tried once more to move it.  
  
She looked at Dorothy and softly said, "up there."  
  
"You go first," Dorothy said, looking up at the hole in the wall that hid the unknown. She wasn't exactly afraid, nervous was a better description. It was darker in there than it was in the little room they were in and she had no idea where the vent led to.  
  
Midii shook her head. "You have to go alone," she explained. "I can't do it."  
  
"You want me to leave you here," Dorothy gasped.  
  
"There's no use both of us dying. I'd only slow you down anyway," Midii said.  
  
"Alright," Dorothy said. "But I'm sorry for what I said before. Thank you for helping me. When I get out I'll find help. We'll get you out, I promise."  
  
"No," Midii gasped, grabbing Dorothy's arm and digging her nails into her skin. "You can't do that. Promise me you won't let Trowa come here. He can't. He can't. Please, promise. Promise me. Say I'm already dead. Don't let him come here."  
  
"You're crazy," Dorothy insisted. "They'll kill you. You didn't see that man's face, Isabela. Midii, you're in big trouble."  
  
Desperate tears streaked the other girl's face. "Please promise, please," she said.  
  
"I can't promise that," Dorothy said, looking at her aghast. "Just hold on."  
  
She disappeared into the dark vent.  
  
******  
  
Trowa kicked over a pile of debris and tried to restrain himself from throwing a nearby table against the wall. So far their search had been fruitless. Quatre was insisting that they had to keep looking here. He was starting to agree with Duo that they should consider looking somewhere else.  
  
"Trowa," Duo's voice called from outside the shattered headquarters' building. "Come take a look at this."  
  
Trowa found Duo on his hands and knees in the middle of an old dirt supply road. "What is it," he asked. Duo held something up to the light.  
  
"Titanium alloy," he said triumphantly, as the moonlight glimmered off the highly polished metal. "It's new stuff too. No way this could have been here since you and Quatre tore the place up. Someone's been transporting the stuff here very recently."  
  
Trowa's eyes narrowed. They were in the right place after all. "Underground," he said.  
  
"That'd be my guess," Duo agreed. "But where's the entrance? Maybe we'll have better luck come daylight."  
  
"We can't wait that long," Trowa protested, his voice tight and restrained. Midii, he thought, tell me where you are. He felt like digging through the dirt with his bare hands.  
  
"Well, we're not having much luck in the dark," Duo said. "Plus I thought Heero and Wufei would be here by now too. What else can possibly go wrong?"  
  
*******  
  
They must have moved closer to the beach somehow, Relena thought, her eyes fluttering open. The water was lapping at her feet and ankles. She shut her eyes again and snuggled her head against Heero's chest, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart. A smile of pure happiness lit her face. He was hers at last and she was his. Even with a new danger calling and a mission to accomplish he was here beside her.  
  
Another wave hit, this time lapping over her calves and dampening the hem of her skirt. Relena's eyes flew open. Heero was still sitting with his back against the cliff, his arms snug around her. It was the water itself that was moving closer.  
  
"The tide," she whispered. "The tide is coming in."  
  
  
*******  
  
Quatre continued searching the building. He admitted he'd been starting to lose confidence in his absolute belief that something was hidden here. But Duo's find had restored that. Now something else was bothering him. When Trowa was outside with Duo he'd called Dorothy at the hotel and hadn't gotten any answer.  
  
He sighed. Where could she be? Had getting her out of that nightclub and its crush of people been the right choice? The hint of dawn was starting to appear outside, the darkness was fading to a charcoal gray and a line of rosy pink was showing at the horizon. It was taking too long. Isabela, he thought. Midii, hold on, for Trowa's sake. Thoughts of Dorothy kept haunting him however, even though he had plenty of other things to worry about. The titanium was a clear signal that someone was constructing mobile suits again. Still, he kept thinking about the two girls. How alike they were, both so hurt by the war and its losses that they'd been driven to make the wrong choices. He knew Midii could be like Dorothy and change if she got the chance, if Trowa helped her find some kind of peace.  
  
"Quatre," Trowa called, his face pale and tired, but very determined. "We have to look somewhere else. This can't be it, we've been here all night and haven't found a thing. Duo's contacted Sally. She'll be here with backup soon and a mobile suit carrier."  
  
As he turned to leave, Quatre heard the clatter of metal scraping in the corner near the floor. He grabbed Trowa's arm and the sound came again. They both heard it this time.  
  
Trowa rushed toward the sound and aimed the beam of his flashlight at the spot, the light setting aglow a silken veil of pale blonde hair. "Midii," he said, reaching out to pull the girl out of the vent.  
  
"Dorothy," Quatre exclaimed, realizing who the girl was.  
  
"You," Trowa said, his heart dropping with disappointment. Then his eyes hardened. "Where did you come from? You're involved in this aren't you? Didn't you learn anything from the last war Dorothy Catalonia. You're still the same, still . . ."  
  
"No, she isn't," Quatre explained, pulling her away from Trowa's grip and touching her dazed face softly. "Dorothy, how did you get here, what happened?"  
  
He held her close in an embrace that was practiced and familiar. Trowa stared as his best friend hugged their old enemy and kissed her softly and with obvious love and adoration. Quatre and Dorothy Catalonia?  
  
"What's going on in here," Duo called, swinging his flashlight around the room and catching Dorothy and Quatre in its beam. "Hey you found her!"  
  
"No," Trowa said flatly. "It's Dorothy Catalonia, I think she's involved in this, but . . ."  
  
"Trowa, I told you she's not," Quatre insisted. "Dorothy talk to me. Are you alright? How in the world did you get here."  
  
She was filthy and there were long scratches on her bare arms, and on her face as well.  
  
"Oh Quatre," she sobbed, burying her face in his chest. It had been totally without light in the vent, she'd been afraid she'd be trapped in there forever, in the cold, claustrophobic blackness. She trembled and clung to him as if she would never let go.  
  
"Dorothy, you're safe now," he said gently and reasonably. "Tell us where you were, what happened."  
  
She gulped in the fresh air. "When I got outside, they thought I was her," she said. "Midii."  
  
She looked at Quatre. "We all have to get out of here now," she insisted. "They have mobile suits, close to a hundred. I don't know about the pilots, but the suits are ready to go. The three of you can't fight that many. Please Quatre. We have to leave."  
  
"Wait," Trowa said. "How did you get away and where were you?"  
  
Dorothy paused, she remembered Midii desperately asking her to promise. But she couldn't lie, Midii was still alive, or she had been.   
  
"She helped me," she whispered.  
  
"Midii," Trowa said, advancing toward Dorothy and Quatre, firing questions at the dazed woman. "Where is she now then? Why isn't she with you? You couldn't have just left her there? Where is she?"  
  
"I had to climb up to get out," Dorothy explained. "She couldn't, she was too badly hurt. Barely conscious, I could hardly wake her up. At first I thought she was dead."  
  
"Trowa, wait," Quatre called, as the other man disappeared down the air vent without a word.  
  
********   
  
Midii was haunted by visions of Stefan. Dorothy had been right, this was all her fault. Especially Stefan's death. She had broken the rules and he was dead. "Stefan, I'm sorry," she whispered, the memory of his death playing over and over like a movie in her mind. She was so selfish, she hadn't taken his life into account for a second. She'd only worried about Trowa and what he thought of her. But Stefan had been the one who had been there for her most of her life, taking care of her and even risking his life for her. They'd been through it all together. And now he was dead because of her. He could have left her behind but he didn't.  
  
She remembered Dorothy's promise. "We'll get you out."  
  
"No," Midii said softly, over and over again. She knew that if Trowa came they would kill him, exactly as they had killed Stefan.  
  
A chill ran through her and her heart skipped a beat. The lock on the door was rattling. Fear made her forget the pain in her arm momentarily as she scanned the dark room for a weapon, anything. She glanced up at the air vent, impossible for her to reach it alone, with her injured arm. Then her eyes fell on the discarded handcuffs.  
  
Midii held her breath and waited, ready to strike anyone who came in with the restraints in her good hand. The door flew open, letting in a blinding shaft of light. She groaned and stepped back instinctively, covering her eyes with her hand.  
  
"Well," Mezzo said, a smile in his voice. "Our little patient is recovering very nicely. You seem much better."  
  
"Stay away from me," Midii said hoarsely, backing away farther.  
  
"Or you'll what? Step on my foot? Don't make me laugh Une, you're offensive skills were never your strong point. That's what you had Niente for. You do remember him?" Mezzo said, prowling into the dark after her like a cat after a mouse.  
  
"Stefan," Midii whispered, her eyes misting, then hardening with anger and thoughts of revenge, her fury eroding her common sense. She rushed at Mezzo and swung the handcuffs at his face with all her force but he easily caught her arm and pinned her to the wall. Midii hit at him with her other arm and almost fainted from the pain the automatic movement caused, as it was she doubled over and would have fallen to the floor if he hadn't been holding her up.   
  
"Temper, temper," he chuckled, reaching to brush the grit off her cheek and pull her up straighter against the wall. He could see her chest heaving with anger and pain, but she'd stopped struggling for the moment.  
  
Midii closed her eyes, she could feel his hot breath on her cheek and turned her face away. He was permeated with the smell of cigarette smoke and she could taste the cologne he wore in the back of her throat, choking her with its heavy odor. She felt his fingertips trail from her face down to the neckline of her dress and catch there. Mezzo pressed against her crushing her between himself and the wall.  
  
"Such soft skin," he whispered, suddenly tightening his hold on the material and ripping downward.  
  
"Nooooo," Midii wailed frantically, her eyes flying open, the dim light from the outer room eerily illuminating the grim, pale blue eyes so close to her own.  
  
To be continued . . . Next time on Alone/Together . . . the action-packed conclusion!  
  
  
  
  



	12. Alone/Together: Chapter 11

Author's Note: Well, I've been getting a few inquiries about Midii Une. Is she a real GW character or not? The answer is definitely , although she did NOT appear in the television series, Midii is an important character in the manga Episode Zero in which she is very closely involved with Trowa. Her most famous quote is "I can't even tell the one I love that I love them." The one she loves is Trowa, of course they are only 10 years old at the time, but still. Not even Relena declares her love for Heero out loud like that!  
  
In Endless Waltz Trowa is shown piloting a mobile suit as a young boy, the cross he wears in the flashback was given to him by Midii Une. To investigate further visit www.gundamwing.org or my site, http://midiiune.tripod.com/spysilence/index.html  
which includes Episode Zero scans and a link to the translation of Episode Zero. All my stories and those of most authors that use Midii with Trowa, include tons of flashbacks to the time the two of them spent together as children. Episode Zero also reveals that Cathrine Bloom is Trowa's blood sister, thereby leaving Midii as his only non-yaoi love interest.   
  
Hopefully these fics are sparking some interest in Midii, they seem to be. That's my lecture for today boys and girls, Arigato! And now the conclusion of Alone/Together . . . except for the epilogue, -_-' twas running too long as per usual.  
  
Alone/Together  
  
by Midii Une  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Wufei glanced up into the sky as a pair of mobile suit carriers blasted past overhead, circling the ruins of the former Alliance base. Damnit, he cursed. Where in hell could Heero be? He had absolutely no clue. Il Ritmo de la Mare, the last place he'd seen him, was deserted in the gray light of dawn and the doors were locked. Wufei merely kicked one of the doors in and entered the quiet room.  
  
He was startled by the staccato, echoing sound of a pair of gun shots from the direction of the cliffside terrace. His dark eyes took in the dangling cable and he peered down below to where the beach had been. It was nothing now but a turbulent, swirling mess of water crashing in white-tipped splashes against the side of the cliff.  
  
******  
  
"Trowa," Quatre shouted, peering into the dark vent after his best friend, shining his flashlight downward, the beam hardly making a dent in the inky blackness. It wasn't like Trowa at all to pull an ill-advised move like that. There had to be an easier, quicker way to get into the Alliance stronghold.   
  
Dorothy tugged on his arm, "Quatre you cannot go down that way," she said, "you'll fall straight into a trap."  
  
Quatre sighed. "How did you get in Dorothy? Did you see the entrance," he asked.  
  
She shook her head. "It was so dark. I don't know. But there was a road and some kind of huge overhead door," she said. They heard the sound of the Preventers mobile suit carriers arriving.  
  
"Alright," Duo said, eyes lighting up in anticipation of the battle in spite of himself. "It's time for us to squash these busy little ants before they even know what hit them."  
  
******  
  
A whimper escaped Midii's throat as Mezzo crushed her closer to the wall and his hand lingered on the soft skin over her heart, which was pounding like a scared rabbit's. Her hand opened and closed futilely as he tightened his grip on her wrist. Her mind raced with thoughts of escape.  
  
"There's only two things more important to a guy than sex," Stefan had once said, prepping her for a mission. "Breathing and protecting himself, if you know what I mean. If anybody lays a hand on you take care of those two things and run like hell and never look back. If he touches you I'll go back later on and make sure the guy never gets back up. Don't worry about it, you'll be fine."  
  
"Please, please don't," she begged, tears streaking her dirty cheeks.  
  
"You're a traitor," his voice hissed in her ear. "Traitors are not entitled to pity. Did they promise you protection? Promise you'd be safe? You betrayed us and there's no escaping the penalty."  
  
"Just kill me, like you killed Stefan," she whispered softly, her voice catching on the name.  
  
"Begging for death already," Mezzo asked, the corners of his mouth turning up in a cold smile as his hand traveled down to the hem of her skirt. "You disappoint me, I thought you'd be little tougher to crack Une. Your stuff's never failed you before has it? The soft voice, the innocent face, the tears?. Got'em every time didn't you? Luck, not skill, that's all it ever was for you, from that first failed mission until now. But guess what, you never fooled me, never."  
  
He pulled back from her a bit and backhanded her across the face. Her head jerked from the blow and her grip on consciousness and reality started to ebb again. Stefan's words repeated themselves in her head again, from far away. She lifted her head to meet his cold, pale blue gaze. Now, she thought.  
  
Her knee came up hard in his groin and he dropped her wrist in surprise as he groaned in anguish, she rammed her elbow into his windpipe.   
  
She made it as far as the next room before the adrenaline rush faded, she tried to fight against the swimming blackness but she passed out.  
  
*****  
  
"Relena, don't try to talk," Heero ordered. Every time she opened her mouth to speak she swallowed more sea water.  
  
"B-but, Heero," she gasped, ignoring his sensible advice and swallowing another large mouthful of saltwater. Relena's hair floated on the surface as her head went under as another wave crashed over the two of them. The sea had looked so calm and tranquil when they had been sitting on the beach but the rising tide was rough and full of undercurrents.  
  
Heero pulled her up in a lifeguard hold. He felt strangely calm, as he usually did when in a situation that would usually be very stressful. Hopefully someone had heard the two shots he managed to get off before he was forced to drop his gun into the sea, needing both hands to keep Relena afloat in the turbulent water.  
  
"Just float, I have you," he said, tightening his grip on her wet body. "Concentrate on the sunrise, or whatever. Just keep still."  
  
Relena let her body relax and ride on the water. He was right, he was here and there was no reason to be afraid. The sunrise turned the water red and pink and transformed the tips of the waves a glowing white. It was so beautiful. If they lived through this she'd never forget the strange beauty of the sunrise-colored water and the absolute transferal of her life into Heero's arms.  
  
******  
  
Midii came awake choking and coughing from a puff of cigarette smoke in her face.   
  
"That was very stupid," he said as her eyes fluttered open, his voice rasping from his injured windpipe. "Seems like I'm out of commission for the moment so what shall we do to while away the time?"  
  
Midii groaned and tried to sit up but he shoved her back down, keeping a hand on her throat, and blowing another puff of smoke in her face. Mezzo looked at the glowing tip of the cigarette thoughtfully.  
  
*****  
  
He felt like he'd been crawling around in the darkness for hours. Dorothy's careless words sending him off unthinkingly on the most direct route to Midii's side. The most direct but probably not the quickest he thought, the trip through the vent giving him time to reconsider what he was doing. He'd made an awful mistake, he should have gone back when he heard Quatre calling after him. Suddenly Trowa heard a heart-rending scream seemingly right below him.  
  
He propped himself against the sides of the vent with his arms, suspending himself in the air momentarily and frowning in concentration before thrusting down against the floor of the vent with his legs crashing through the thin layer of metal and the drop ceiling below it.  
  
"What the hell, is it fucking Super Man coming in to save the day," Mezzo said sarcastically as pieces of ceiling tile, metal and insulation fluttered down on top of him and Midii and Trowa landed beside them on the floor.  
  
*******  
  
"What's the matter Yuy? Miss your boat," Wufei called, peering over the edge of the speedboat he had requisitioned at Heero and Relena bobbing in the water.  
  
Heero narrowed his eyes but they didn't hold their usual look of single-minded purpose. He guided Relena over to the side of the boat and Wufei pulled her in. Heero grabbed onto the side and vaulted himself in with his characteristic powerful grace, his strength undaunted by an hour of swimming in rough water.  
  
"Well," Heero asked impatiently. "I saw the carriers. What's been happening?"  
  
"Damned if I know," Wufei said. "While you were enjoying your relaxing dip in the ocean I was babysitting Maxwell's wife, Barton's sister and some kid who had all the answers."  
  
"Answers to what," Relena asked, her teeth chattering slightly. Heero wrapped the blanket more snugly around her.  
  
"That woman's partner was murdered," Wufei said. "Maxwell, of course with his dumb luck, led us straight to the body. The kid, his nephew I guess, said something was going down at the old Corsica base so that's where the others are. Looks to me like they found something."  
  
"Let's get over there then," Heero said quickly.  
  
"Where did you think I was headed," Wufei snapped in irritation. He was more than ready to finally get some action.  
  
Duo was impatiently hopping from one foot to another waiting for backup before he could go in with his mobile suit. A grin appeared on his face and a mischievous glint lit his violet eyes as the boat pulled up to the deteriorating dock at the base.  
  
"Finally," he said, failing to hold back a snort of laughter at the dripping state of Heero's attire.  
  
"I'll ask later," Duo said, hastily strapping himself into a Preventers mobile suit. "Right now it's time for the much-anticipated return of the God of Death. Just be careful with your aim, Trowa ran in there after Trouble and Sally and Quatre went in on foot looking for them. Got it?"  
  
Heero and Wufei rolled their eyes and followed after their excited comrade, leaving Dorothy and a damp Relena together in an uncomfortable silence.  
  
*******  
  
Trowa aimed his gun at Mezzo. "Get away from her," he said, gesturing with the weapon. Mezzo put his cigarette back in his mouth and raised his hands in an attitude of surrender and backed away.  
  
"I don't know who the hell you are buddy but you're in way over your head," Mezzo said, slowly and carefully lowering a hand to pull the cigarette out of his mouth, his brain frantically trying to come up with a back up plan.  
  
"Just get out of here while you can, she's not worth saving. Fact is I was just using her as an ashtray," he grinned maliciously, taking another drag of the cigarette so the tip glowed red hot before dropping it and crushing it underfoot. "There's nothing lower than a double-crosser, that's a universally known fact pal."  
  
"There's nothing lower than a man who would hurt a woman," Trowa answered coldly, his eyes as flinty as stone, pulling the trigger and knocking Mezzo back with the blast.  
  
Trowa blinked as the smoke of the shot cleared. His head turned and he went down on his knees, tearing his jacket off and wrapping Midii in it.  
  
"Tr-Trowa," she whispered, her teeth chattering from fright, cold and pain. "You sh-shouldn't have c-come here. I--"  
  
"Shhh," he murmured, gathering her close in his arms. "Of course I came. Midii, I lo--"  
  
She heard a rasping sound in the corner and peeked over Trowa's shoulder, her eyes widening as the injured Mezzo pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Trowa.  
  
"No! Watch out," she screamed, pushing him down on the floor with the last of her strength and burying her head in his chest as two shots rang out.  
  
******  
  
Hilde looked out the window as the rose and crimson-streaked tints of sunrise appeared over the rooftops of the city.  
  
Duo, she thought, where are you damnit? It had been hours with no word from anyone. She'd fallen asleep for a little while in a chair and she rolled her shoulders and moved her head from side to side to work out the kinks. She'd awoken to the sound of aircraft overhead, she knew the type. It was so familiar from her days with OZ. The planes had been mobile suit carriers.  
  
"Argh," she groaned, clenching her fists, she couldn't sit around and wait anymore. Hilde pulled off the silver-gray dress and yanked on a pair of jeans and pulled one of Duo's t-shirts over her head. She crept out of the room as Cathrine and Anton slept on.  
  
They were going to need all the experienced pilots they could find. The old, familiar thrill of excitement tingled through her body and made her shiver a little in anticipation as she raced down the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
"Trowa," Quatre shouted as Sally tucked her gun back in the holster on her hip and raced over to the Gundam pilot and the girl who had led them all into this mess in the first place. Well thank God she had, from the looks of this place the Alliance had been on the verge of making a very big comeback.  
  
"Are you two alright," Sally asked as Trowa sat up, pulling a limp and trembling Midii with him. Sally noticed that her eyes held a glazed, confused look and her skin had a slightly bluish pallor. She beckoned to the medical team she'd brought in with her and Quatre.  
  
"Midii," Trowa begged, bending over her and stroking her hair comfortingly, holding her eyes with his own. "Just hold on a little longer, stay with me. We have to get you out of here."  
  
Her clouded blue-gray eyes seemed to focus on his, caught by the sound of his voice.  
  
"Nanashi? . . . Nanashi, why did you save me . . . why?" her slurred voice whispered, a single tear trailing down her face.  
  
A shudder ran through her and her head fell forward against his chest with a soft little plop.  
  
Sally shoved him aside with surprising strength. "Move Trowa, she's going into shock," she said, laying Midii flat.   
  
Sally scanned the girl's condition which appeared to be rapidly deteriorating. Her hand automatically withdrew slightly from her cold clammy skin before the doctor in her set back to work with calm efficiency. No matter what she'd done she wouldn't let her die. Her information was going to save the world a lot of grief in the end after all. Heero, Duo and Wufei were already hard at work destroying the underground base before the enemy had even been alerted to their presence, explosions sounded in the distance. She pried one of Midii's lids open with her thumb and chafed her hands over her cold arms.  
  
"Damnit, unresponsive," Sally muttered, gripping the unconscious girl's wrist and monitoring the weak, fluttering pulse beat beneath the translucent, delicate skin. The bastard had really done a number on her.  
  
"Are you getting this down," she spoke to her assistant. "Left arm appears severely sprained, possibly broken; electrical burns upper right chest, second-degree burns on lower right arm. Unresponsive to preliminary treatment for severe shock. No evidence of spinal injury, we have to get her out now or we're going to lose her, blood pressure's dropping as we speak."  
  
At a nod from Sally her assistant carefully started to lift Midii off the floor before Trowa's hand stopped him. "Let me," he insisted.  
  
"No Trowa, we need you here. Go with Quatre, take it all out on the enemy, you can't do anything to help her now," Sally said, shocked at seeing his emotions painted on his face instead of his usual calm mask. She tried to inject reassurance into her voice. "I promise I'll do everything I can, once we're at the hospital she'll be just fine. You just hurry up and finish things here. We need you."  
  
Trowa nodded tersely, she was right, he couldn't do anything. His hand brushed softly against her cold one. "Midii I'll be there when you wake up. Please pull through this," he whispered, hoping she heard him in her heart, her frighteningly still face showed nothing at all.  
  
******  
  
"Awww man, this isn't much fun. It's like shooting sitting ducks," Duo complained, blasting away at the rows of mobile suits. Doing away with the few manned weapons had taken a ridiculously short amount of time.  
  
"Boring, boring, boring!! This really sucks," Duo continued, yawning. "Ya mean I waited up all night for this?"  
  
His beam saber sliced through rows of idle mobile suits like a hot knife through butter.  
  
Heero's suit turned slightly as his control panel emitted a frantic beeping. Suddenly a squadron of the enemy mobile suits erupted from underneath the floor, the fluorescent light glinting off their gleaming black titanium armor.  
  
"Kuso," Heero muttered. "A second level. These were just decoys."  
  
Wufei's black eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He hadn't spoken up to agree with that loudmouthed Maxwell earlier but this kind of battle was much more to his liking. The tightness in his wounded shoulder was completely forgotten as his piloting instincts kicked in full force.  
  
"Well fellas, welcome to HELL," Duo shouted in greeting to the newcomers. "Hope you enjoy your stay 'cause it's gonna be a SHORT ONE!!!"  
  
  
*******  
  
Sally could see the exit in the distance, the Preventers ambulances, helicopters and remaining mobile suits barely visible to her eye.  
  
"How's she doing," she asked her assistant. They didn't want to move fast and jar her too much.  
  
"Hanging in there Sally," he said, looking at the girl he held carefully in his arms as if she were a delicate piece of china. "But Christ, she looks just awful."  
  
"We're almost there," Sally pointed out, just as a man stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"General Soixante," Sally exclaimed, a look of surprise appearing on her face. She knew this man, knew him very well. For many years she had worked under his direction as a member of the EarthSphere Alliance Forces. It came home to her that she and Midii had probably been working side by side on many occasions without her even knowing it.  
  
"Major Sally Po," the general intoned, instantly recognizing the woman who had been one of the best officers the Alliance had ever boasted of having in its ranks. Her judgement and sense of integrity were admirable.  
  
"You're behind this," Sally questioned. She had admired the man once, he had been so much more dignified and fair than that disgusting pig of a man, General Septem.  
  
"I have always been a loyal supporter of the EarthSphere Alliance," Soixante said. "It was my duty to direct a resurgence."  
  
"That time is over," Sally said, trying to reason with the man. "This is nothing but an unnecessary threat to peace. You could have used these resources to do a lot of good for the Earth and the colonies. I don't understand."  
  
"You're too young to understand Major," the general said. "There is a whole generation of men and women who have been nothing but soldiers. We don't know any other way to live. War is a way of life for us. Perhaps we'd rather die fighting than live in this world of peace, a world that looks down upon and scorns the soldiers who fought and died in the past."  
  
"No," Sally said. "It doesn't have to be that way."  
  
"I thank your organization for giving us an honorable final battle," the general continued, his eyes misting. "Now I will ask you one last favor, Major Po. You were always an impartial woman."  
  
He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at them. "Let me die here on the front lines. You are the commander of this mission, give me satisfaction."  
  
A tear streaked Sally's pale cheek. She had admired him once, she owed him a death in battle. Her slender hand reached for the gun on her hip and she shot him once, through the center of the forehead.  
  
"Damnit," she screamed. "When will this be over. Will it ever be over?"  
  
She looked at Midii and decided right then and there that she was going to do whatever it took to save her life and set her on the right path.   
  
"Never again," Sally vowed to herself. "I'll never lose another former ally like that again. There's no reason we can't all adjust to this new way of life. No reason at all."   
  
A wry smile crossed her face. She wondered what Midii was going to think about becoming her personal project.  
  
******  
  
  
The heat was on and Duo was starting to regret his earlier complaints. There were just so damn many of them. They kept surging up from the lower level like an upside down waterfall of mobile suits. They'd already lost a few of the backup pilots and he was starting to get mightily pissed.  
  
"I shoulda kept DeathScythe around. I knew it," he grumbled to himself. "But noooo, old Quatre says lets send our Gundams to the goddamn sun!"  
  
A Preventers' mobile suit slashed its way toward him, dispatching the enemy's neo-Taurus suits with ease. At the other corner of the hangar, on the other side of the gaping hole from which the suits were swarming, explosions erupted in short, quick bursts of bright orange-red.  
  
"I came to see what was keeping you," a familiar voice sounded over his comm unit. "You've been up all night. Aren't you ready to come to bed yet?"  
  
Duo's face showed a pleased grin.  
  
"With you next to me baby we'll be hittin' those sheets in no time," he countered. Hilde and Duo stood back to back in their suits and commenced destruction.  
  
On the other side of the hole in the floor Quatre and Trowa were blasting and slashing away from behind as well. Quatre glanced worriedly over at Trowa's suit. But he soon realized he had no cause to be apprehensive about his best friend's performance. Trowa was an efficient killing machine, his usual single-mindedness concentrated on getting out of there as quickly as possible.  
  
Thirty minutes later it was all over. The neo-Taurus suits were smoldering heaps of melting, sparking titanium and the survivors were raising their hands in surrender.  
  
******  
  
"Has she woken up," Trowa asked Sally, searching her face for an answer to his question.  
  
"No, but that's to be expected, we had to sedate her rather heavily in order to stabilize her vital signs," she said, frowning a little. Midii was still restless and agitated despite all the medication they'd pumped into her but they didn't dare give her anymore.  
  
"We need to talk anyway," Sally said, trying to gauge Trowa's state of mind but finding it difficult. His usual mask was back in place again. "I've been doing some thinking about Midii's future. Hopefully you'll agree to help me."  
  
*****  
  
  
A tiny frown creased her brow and one of her fists was clenched on the pale blue hospital blanket. Trowa reached out and tried to gently open her hand but she groaned softly and tightened her grip on the blanket.  
  
"Stefan," she muttered, trapped by the drugs in a nightmare where he was being shot over and over again.  
  
The other man's name was like a sharp prick of pain in his heart. What did his death mean to Midii? What had he meant to Midii? A vision of Stefan's handsome, cocky face arose in Trowa's memory. He'd been a complete jerk and yet he'd died trying to save her life. Had he loved her? More importantly, had she loved him? Was everything he thought there had been between himself and her all part of some elaborate act on her part? She was more than capable of such a deception, he knew that better than anyone.  
  
His hand reached out to stroke the back of her clenched hand with his fingertips and finally her grip on the blanket loosened and he took her hand in his.   
  
"Trowa," she murmured, her eyes fluttering open slowly, the fear in them fading to a look of relief. "You're safe, it's not a dream."  
  
She pulled herself up gingerly and he took her carefully in his arms. She cared, he knew she did. He'd seen it in her eyes.  
  
"What's going to happen now," she asked, snuggling her head against his shoulder, her hair tickling the curve of his neck.  
  
"Sally has an idea," Trowa said. "We can't really just let you off after all that's happened. I'm sorry Midii."  
  
"I guess I deserve prison after all the trouble I've put everyone through," Midii said softly, her voice resigned, but her mind beginning to work out the details of a possible escape. She had no intention of going to prison, not even if Trowa thought she deserved it.  
  
He smiled a little at her remark. "It's not that bad," he explained. "It's a sort of parole. You'll have to meet with Sally once a month and the rest of the time you'll have to agree to stay on a certain colony."  
  
"Which colony," she asked.  
  
"Whichever one I'm on," Trowa said. "I agreed to keep you out of trouble."  
  
"That won't be an easy mission," she said, a hint of a smile appearing on her face.  
  
"I think I'm up to it," he answered, cupping her cheek with his hand and kissing her softly.  
  
*****  
  
"Okay guys," Duo announced, grinning evilly at his comrades. "You know what time it is."  
  
Heero rolled his eyes in annoyance and looked at his watch, drumming his fingers on the table in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness. He had somewhere important to be and he didn't dare be late.  
  
"Not this again. Must we go through this every time," he asked. Duo's traditional post-mission awards were always stupid and often embarrassing.  
  
"Yep, we do," Duo said grinning. "And just for complaining you get yours last Heero."  
  
An almost-growl emerged from Heero's throat and he peered at his watch again. He decided against complaining, it would only egg Duo on to stall his silly performance even further.  
  
"Okay, we'll do Quatre first. Cuz' Quatre, you're always polite. It's amazing man, even in the middle of a battle. You're polite," Duo said.  
  
"Thanks Duo," Quatre said in a pleased voice. He was the only one other than Duo that enjoyed the post-mission awards. The other three pilots thought it was outrageous and unnecessary. Quatre knew they needed to act a little crazy at times and let the tension out and Duo was very good at making that happen  
  
Duo handed Quatre a double-padded fencing jacket. Quatre looked at it puzzled.  
  
"What's this for," he asked.  
  
"Man, you get the award for bravery in the bedroom," Duo said. "Sleeping with the chick that stabbed you takes guts! My advice is to keep the jacket handy in case she gets moody."  
  
"Uh, thanks. I guess," Quatre said, blushing furiously.  
  
"Okay Wufei, you're next," Duo continued, handing the Chinese pilot a bullet-proof vest. "Since Sally told me that Trouble's gonna be joining our happy little family I gotcha this in case she decides to shoot at you again."  
  
Wufei didn't answer and left the vest sitting on the table in front of him untouched.  
  
Duo handed Trowa a big box of candy in the shape of the heart. "This is a first for Trowa," Duo said, grinning wickedly. "Give him a hand guys. Trowa gets the romantic hero award. I was gonna give you some escape-resistant handcuffs so you don't lose track of her but Hilde wouldn't let me. Oh yeah, sorry, I ate all the chocolate cherries outta there too. I got hungry."  
  
Duo peered under Trowa's bangs. "Look he's blushing," he laughed.  
  
Trowa backhanded Duo and looked at his watch. He wanted to get back to the hospital. Midii was getting out today.  
  
"Hey, no smacking the awards emcee," Duo scolded Trowa, evading his swat.  
  
"And now for Heero Yuy," Duo said finally, handing Heero a pair of his and her lifejackets. "One for you and one for the princess. Just so you guys can stay afloat next time you spend the night in the ocean. Nice first date Heero, bet she never forgets that one."  
  
"Can I leave now," Heero asked, restraining himself from smiling. He was getting soft.  
  
******  
  
"Sorry I'm late," he whispered, taking her in his arms and kissing her softly and with increasing passion as she wrapped her own arms around him tightly.  
  
"You had me a little scared for a minute there," she teased. "I thought maybe something had come up. Another mission perhaps."  
  
"Nothing could keep me away. Not even one of Duo's idiotic awards ceremonies," he said.  
  
"Speaking of ceremonies we'd better get up to the mayor's office. This was the last appointment of the day," she said.  
  
Standing together in a warm patch of afternoon sunlight that glinted on the marble floor, Heero and Relena privately exchanged their wedding vows. The slender gold band he slipped on her finger was cool but warmed instantly from the contact with her skin. She vowed never to take it off.  
  
"You may kiss the bride," the mayor said.  
  
Heero bent and kissed his wife.  
  
*****  
  
Another nightmare. Cold sweat beaded her forehead and she tossed back and forth restlessly in the hospital bed. She couldn't scream, she couldn't move.  
  
Midii sat straight up gasping for breath, her heart racing. She kept dreaming the dream where Trowa came into that alley to save her and died, died just like Stefan. She kept seeing the blood, so much blood and the surprise in his eyes.  
  
She pushed a slender hand through her hair as her heart continued to thump crazily. What could she be thinking? She loved Trowa, loved him more than her own life. Loved him more than her own happiness.   
  
"I can't do this," she thought. "I can't stay here."  
  
She got dressed, an awkward task with her broken arm. Trowa's Preventers jacket was still in her closet with her things, she held it close to her for a second, fighting back tears. The she slipped out of the hospital unseen by anyone.  
  
Next time on Alone/Together: Epilogue . . . Can Trowa track Midii down or will he invent a popular CD-rom game entitled "Where in the World is Midii Une?"   
  
  
  
*******  
  
  



	13. Alone/Together: Epilogue

Author's Note: *sweatdrop* Sorry for keeping you waiting, a lot of you were ticked that Midii ran away again, please keep in mind how traumatizing Stefan's death was for her and give the poor girl a break! Hopefully the wait will be worth it, enjoy this cotton candy for the romantic soul complete with a lemon-lime warning!!! I needed time to make this moment a special one and I really apologize for keeping you waiting so please forgive me and review? *sad puppy eyes*  
  
Alone/Together: Epilogue  
by Midii Une  
  
"Who is that man," Anton's mother asked, her fingers pushing back a strand of her silky black hair from her face as she studied the stranger with green eyes who was standing in her doorway talking to her son.   
  
"It's Signorina Catalina's brother," Anton said, glaring at Trowa defiantly.  
  
"Did Midii come here," Trowa asked the boy. "I know she was upset about your cousin and I thought maybe . . ."  
  
"Anton went with her to the cemetery yesterday afternoon but we haven't seen her since," the woman said, casting a glance at her obstinately silent son. She was glad Midii hadn't wanted to stay with them. It was her fault after all that Stefan was dead and she and Stefan had both been a horrible influence on Anton. She prayed the whole mess was finally over and that her son had learned his lesson.  
  
"Did she say anything about where she might be going," Trowa asked. He'd hoped she would be here but he'd missed her. Why was she doing this?  
  
"She told Stefan where she was going. I heard her whispering it to him at the cemetery," Anton said suddenly, not sure whether he should tell the Gundam pilot anything more. Stefan had not liked this man, not one bit and his loyalty to his cousin warred with his loyalty to Signorina Midii. Did she want the pilot to find her? Her words said she didn't, but her face had told another story.  
  
"Home," Anton said finally. "She went home."  
  
******  
  
The little village in Provence wasn't far from the coast but it was hard to find, a forgotten place off the beaten path. Most people had never even heard of it or thought maybe it didn't exist anymore.  
  
The old stone house was empty and echoed with silence as he searched through it. If she had ever been there she had already left it behind. The place was so sad, it reminded him of her. A beautiful but lonely place, the only sounds were the soft, faraway twittering of birds and the wind in the branches of the trees. The late-blooming daffodils and tulips peeked out from among the weeds in the untended garden outside. He'd envied her her family in the past, even envied the mere fact that she knew who she was, that she had a past and his eyes took in every detail. This was where she'd come from. But where was she now? How would he find her? There were no more clues and she was expert at hiding herself.   
  
He opened one last door upstairs, the old wood protesting on its rusty hinges. The soft scent of lavender filled the sunny room and there was no dust on the furniture and floor as there was in the rest of the abandoned house. As Trowa looked thoughtfully at the bed with its fresh sheets, he heard a soft creaking noise coming from beyond the open bedroom window . . .  
  
Midii sat in her old swing, swaying slowly back and forth, looking out over the valley, her hands clinging to the soft, weathered old ropes that had withstood the test of time. From her vantage point on top of the hill she could see a soft, misty blue line on the horizon that represented the sea far away in the distance.  
  
Was he still there on Corsica? Was Trowa somewhere across the water thinking of her, looking for her? Or had he merely been relieved that she had removed herself from his life as quickly and painlessly as possible? She'd lied to him again, promising to wait. It wasn't safe to stay, she'd always brought only death and trouble to the one she loved with all her being. She told herself again that she was doing the right thing although leaving him behind had been as difficult as ripping out her own heart.  
  
His footsteps were silenced by the thick, matted grass on the path to the garden swing. He reached out his hand and the swing stopped moving. Midii jumped off and turned around, wishing for her gun, but she'd left it in the house. Her heart thumped crazily when she saw who was there.  
  
Trowa could see her struggling to hide her happiness at seeing him. Then why, he wondered in confusion, why had she left when she had promised to stay?  
  
"I wanted to come back home again," she said softly, reading his question on his face. "Back to who I used to be, before I met you, before . . . everything."  
  
"I would have come with you," Trowa said, moving towards her. "Why didn't you wait?"  
  
"I was afraid," she explained, her eyes on the ground.  
  
"Of me," he asked, stopping in his tracks.  
  
She shook her head. "Afraid of myself," she said, her voice choking, pausing as if wondering whether to speak the next words. "Afraid that what happened to Stefan will happen to you, because of me."  
  
So that was it, he thought.  
  
"Besides," she continued, regretting her confession as she saw a hopeful expression appear on his face and steeling her heart against her feelings. "The arrangement won't work and I won't go to prison. You said yourself that day that all you wanted was your normal life back. I can make myself disappear so that none of you will ever find me. You have no idea how well I can hide. Please don't try to stop me, I don't want to fight you."  
  
He wished she wouldn't use that word . . . disappear. If she was afraid of him ending up like Niente there was nothing he feared more than that one day she would disappear and he'd have no idea where to look.  
  
"I was angry when I said that. You know that it isn't what I want Midii," he said. "I want us to be together . . ."  
  
"Forever," Midii asked, knowing in her heart what the answer would be.  
  
"Indefinitely," Trowa answered after a lengthy pause. "I just don't know. I do know that I want to try . . ."  
  
"Because you don't trust me," she replied, sitting back down in the swing and moving back and forth in it slowly, her eyes on Trowa the sunlight flickering through the leaves of the tree casting patterns on his face. Engraving the sight of him on her mind and heart as she waited for him to speak.  
  
He was silent for the space of a heartbeat. "No, I don't trust you. I can't," he said slowly, expecting her to protest or get angry.  
  
"You're right not to trust me," she admitted sorrowfully, surprising him with her reaction. "I've tried Trowa, I've tried to change but every time I do something happens to pull me back. I honestly don't know if I can ever be anything else anymore. Maybe I can never escape my past. But please believe that I do care for you, I always have, that's something else that can never change."  
  
Somehow he did believe that much, he wanted to so badly. Trowa pulled her up from the swing and tilted her chin up so he could see her face, the tears shining in her clear blue-gray eyes.  
  
"Her tears mean nothing," he told himself but common sense couldn't dispel the sensations her sorrowful look caused in him and he wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't let her go now, not after everything that had happened. They were worth the risk. He didn't trust her, but oh how he loved her. Could a possible broken heart later be any worse than watching her walk away and out of his life now? He had to think what to say to convince her of that.  
  
She pulled away from him at his continued silence and the pain he felt watching her walk away was almost physical. Midii turned for a moment in the doorway, looking out at the countryside around them, her heart aching, wanting desperately to turn and throw herself back into his arms. He was tempting her to be selfish, to forget the lesson she'd learned, forget her fears and stay with him no matter what the cost.  
  
"I wish I could be the girl I was so long ago, when I lived here with my father and brothers," she said, her voice so soft he barely heard her. "I was so different then. I didn't want to change, it just happened. If only we could have met then . . . by the time we met it was already too late for us, wasn't it Trowa?"  
  
She continued into the house as he watched her.  
  
He followed her into the house, drawn irresistibly up to the bedroom whose window overlooked the neglected garden. She was staring at herself in the cracked mirror over the dresser.  
  
He walked up to her and leaned his chin on her shoulder and they looked at their reflection in the mirror without speaking. Letting their mirror eyes meet as their real eyes were afraid to. It seemed to them less threatening that way.   
  
She could feel the heat of his body and the hard strength of his muscles against her back. She started to surrender to the inner peace and sense of elated contentment she felt when she lost herself in those wonderful, green eyes. She started to forget her good intentions as her own body reacted to his.  
  
"Trowa," she murmured and let herself lean back against him and felt his arms encircle her and the warm touch of his lips against her skin. She closed her eyes, afraid to move again and shatter the dream, sensations of intense desire and pleasure bubbling up from the center of her being, eroding the last constraints of common sense and overwhelming her.  
  
She felt so right in his arms that this just couldn't be wrong. Midii cared about him, she really did, he had to believe that it wasn't another one of her lies or games. He felt a shudder run through her body as his lips fastened themselves on the soft, sweet-smelling place where her neck met her shoulder and then moved lightly along her jawline. She moved a little in his arms, seeming to urge him to hold her tighter but he wanted to go slow, make this last forever. He had perfect control over himself, wasn't he both a disciplined performer and a Gundam pilot?  
  
God, he was torturing her, with butterfly kisses and feathery touches. It wasn't enough to satisfy the desire building in her. He was cruel and wonderful. She shivered in a mixture of frustration and delight. Damn his control. He seemed to be holding her so lightly in the circle of his arms, yet he wouldn't let her move any closer to him, wouldn't set her free to press herself to him and explore his mouth with hers. Trowa. He was driving her mad.  
  
Trowa knew he'd never forget the sensations of this warm spring afternoon, they were going to be together at last. Nothing could stop it. She was trembling with desire in his arms and it was so hard not to crush her against him and finish what he'd started with his soft touch. But not yet, he had to make her want to stay, make her see how much he loved her . . . the soft, sweet smell of lavender in the room was like an aphrodisiac to him because it was her scent, the way Midii smelled. The way she was to him . . . soft and sweet. He pulled his hand through her hair, it was like a handful of fine silk threads, he wanted to see it spread on the pillow beneath her when he made love to her, wanted to feel it against his skin when he woke up every morning . . .   
  
He placed her on the bed and knelt above her, his hands circling her wrists gently but firmly keeping her in place beneath him, studying her face looking for the truth. He had to know that she loved him, really loved him.  
  
"Never disappear again Midii," he begged for her promise, for reassurance, his voice hoarse with fear and desire.  
  
"Trowa I-I'm so afraid," she whispered, looking up at him. "I love you. I've loved you so much since the first minute I saw you in those woods. I wished then I could always be with you, the one that I love. But because of all the things I've done I can't, I just--"  
  
He placed his fingers softly on her lips, shushing her. "Midii that doesn't make any sense," he said. "I love you too and all I want is to be with you, like this. Don't you want that too? I can take care of both of us," he promised, his eyes taking in her fading bruises. "Nothing will ever hurt you again, just stay with me."  
  
"Trowa," she sobbed, reaching for him with her free hand. His resolve and control fled at the sound of her voice and the soft touch of her hand. He collapsed on top of her, feeling her underneath him, warm and soft, burying his hands in her hair and kissing her neck, his body starting to move against hers in an instinctive rhythm and her arms went around him keeping him close.  
  
Midii's hands crept up beneath his shirt and he lifted himself off her to pull it over his head. She drew in her breath, her eyes taking in his perfectly-muscled chest and the incredible green eyes shining with love and desire for her peeking from beneath his auburn bangs. "You're beautiful," she whispered.  
  
He felt his face growing hot under her intense gaze as she placed her small cool hands on his bare chest and sehs felt the racing of his heart under the smooth skin. She slid her hands up to his shoulders and pulled him back down on top of her again.  
  
"I should be saying that to you, Midii," he said, lowering his lips to hers again.   
  
"Mmmm," she moaned softly. "Don't talk, just show me."  
  
Her eyes were naked, shining with love and need. "Ohh, Trowa," she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist, his green eyes reflected in hers as they shuddered to a climax. He collapsed on top of her and she closed her eyes, holding him tight and keeping him inside wanting it never to end, her fingertips streaking through the tiny beads of sweat on his shoulders.   
  
*****  
  
Sunset cast a hazily unreal pink glow into the room but nevertheless reality started to creep back into Midii's mind, the fears, the doubts. Trowa slept with his face pressed to the curve of her neck, his body draped over hers so that she really wasn't sure where he ended and she began. Her mind told her to ease out of his encircling embrace somehow and run. She'd made a selfish mistake giving in to her passion, accepting love from a man she didn't deserve. A man she might hurt if she stayed. But her heart told her she might do more damage to them both if she left now than any outside force could ever manage.   
  
I'll stay awhile, she decided, lacking the strength of mind or resolve to run from him anymore. I'll try . .   
  
She drowsily snuggled closer to Trowa's warmth and went back to sleep.  
  
As if her treacherous thoughts of leaving had filtered into his mind, Trowa's eyes fluttered open to see the soft curve of her cheek so close that his lashes brushed against it when he blinked. He made a soft sound of contentment and pulled her closer and shut his eyes again, the gentle sound of her breathing lulling him back to sleep.  
  
Together, he thought, now we'll always be together.  
  
THE END  
  
But, wait, you want more you say? Well, some of you said that, didn't you? Looks all around at readers . . . How long can love last without trust? How long can Midii stay one step ahead of her past? And what about Dorothy and Quatre and our newlyweds Heero and Relena??? Will Wufei pursuit his interest in Cathrine or will his pride stand in the way? Oh yeah, Duo and Hilde will be there too! Find out in the sequel (YAY) The Price of Redemption, coming soon . . . I never want this story to end!  
  
  



End file.
